Detectives have been granted more time to question two men aged 18 and 21 over Friday’s terror attack at Parsons Green Underground station, Scotland Yard has said.
Police apprehended a yet-to-be named 18-year-old in the port area at Dover on Friday evening and the 21-year-old - named locally as Yahyah Farroukh - was arrested late on Saturday after being stopped by officers outside a fried chicken shop in Hounslow, west London.
The 18-year-old, understood to be suspected of planting the device on a Tube train, is believed to have been living with foster carers Ronald Jones, 88, and wife Penelope, 71.
Their home was subject to an armed raid on Saturday morning and is still behind a huge metal police cordon on the street in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey.
The Met said:
“Two men arrested on Saturday, 16 September in connection with the investigation into the Parsons Green tube attack remain in police custody.
An 18-year-old man was arrested by Kent Police in the port area of Dover at approximately 7:50am under section 41 of the Terrorism Act. A warrant for his further detention has been granted by Westminster Magistrates’ Court until 23 September.
“A 21-year-old was arrested in Hounslow at 11:50pm under section 41 of the Terrorism Act. A warrant for his further detention has been granted by Westminster Magistrates’ Court until 21 September.
“They both remain in custody at a south London police station.
“Searches are continuing at two addresses in Surrey and a commercial property in Hounslow in connection with this ongoing investigation.
“We would like to thank the public for their patience and cooperation.”
The couple, who have taken in 268 children over four decades, including at least eight refugees, are staying with friends as their home continues to be scoured by counter-terrorism investigators.
Alison Griffiths, a Surrey County Councillor who knows the couple, told HuffPost UK: “They will be absolutely devastated. They put so much time and energy into their foster children. I think this is going to be a huge shock.
“They are absolutely amazing. I just wish there were more people like them. It’s hard enough to find people who will foster but to agree to foster child immigrants, it’s very rare.
“They’ve had foster children ranging from Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, they are the go-to people in our area because you know if they can do it they will.”
The couple, who have six children themselves, were photographed receiving MBEs from the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2010.