British police arrest sixth man during pope visit

British police say they have arrested a sixth man on suspicion of preparing an attack, expanding a counter-terrorism operation during Pope Benedict's visit to London.

Anti-terrorism officers had earlier arrested five street cleaners who worked in the area of central London where the pontiff spoke on Friday afternoon.

The sixth man, aged 29, was arrested on Friday afternoon at a home in north London, the police said. They said they were searching eight homes in north and east London and two businesses in central London.

The five other men, arrested by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command shortly before 6am, were working for Veolia Environmental Services, a contractor which employs 650 on-street staff to keep Westminster's streets clean and free from rubbish, the council said.

The suspects, aged 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50, were held under the Terrorism Act 2000 at business premises in central London. They were taken to a central London police station, where they will be interviewed by detectives.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Pope remains "totally calm" and "happy", adding: "We are totally confident in the work of the police and Scotland Yard. We have no particular preoccupation with this.

"The police have already said that the information that they have collected until now demonstrates there is no need to change anything on the programme of the Pope and the security measures."