Four women among 12 people arrested by armed terror cops over the London Bridge attacks during a series of dawn raids in Barking
Aerial footage shows several people being pinned to the ground in Barking
FOUR women were among 12 people arrested over the London Bridge attacks during a series of dawn raids yesterday.
Specialist counter-terrorism firearms cops also carried out searches of properties across East London.
One woman was arrested at the social housing flat belonging to suspected Borough Market killer “Abz” in Barking.
Controlled explosions were carried out by officers entering the property in King’s Road.
Shocked neighbours said the dead terrorist had lived in the block for around three years and was married with two children.
Abz’s sister was held following another operation in nearby East Ham.
Her husband told The Sun: “My wife was taken away by the police. I don’t know anything.
“We haven’t been told what’s going on. We just want to grieve in peace.”
Less than half a mile from Abz’s apartment, cops arrested a mother as she cradled her baby daughter.
Officers blew down her door at the Barking and Dagenham Foyer — a centre housing those at risk of homelessness — at 7am and took the 38-year-old woman away.
Minutes later, plain clothes detectives were seen leaving with her 18-month-old tot.
The mother, her eyes stained with tears, was bundled into the back of an unmarked Ford Mondeo, while her daughter was taken away in another car.
One witness told The Sun that the blast had smashed a window and damaged a neighbouring door.
A neighbour said: “Armed police officers knocked on my door at 7am and warned me there would be a loud bang, then seconds later it sounded like a bomb had gone off.
“I saw them taking her away. She had blood running down her face because she’d obviously been injured in the blast.
“She was very upset, sobbing and crying out for her baby.
“It was extremely upsetting to see them being taken in separate cars.
“Her ex-boyfriend Rashid used to live with them but moved out a few weeks ago.
“He did return at 6pm on Saturday because I saw he’d signed in on the visitors’ book but I’m not sure why. The mum’s a lovely woman and wouldn’t harm a fly.
“Rashid keeps himself to himself and I know he is very religious.”
Another witness said the woman lived on the third floor of the centre with a man.
Speaking of the raid, they added: “I’ve never heard anything like it. It went bang and then bang, bang, bang.
“I thought it must be gunfire it was so loud. This was at 7am.
“The fire alarm went off so everyone started to come down into the reception area.
“I saw four armed officers in grey uniforms coming out carrying machine guns.
“One of them also had a dog, a German shepherd.
“Two plain clothes detectives escorted a lady in her mid-thirties outside.
“I don’t know her name but she is white British and quite large.
“She lives in the building with her partner Rashid and their baby daughter.
“She was bright red in the face and had really been crying.
“They put her in an unmarked Ford Mondeo and you could hear her crying in the car.
“Then some officers came down with the baby girl and she was put in another car before they were both driven away.
“I haven’t seen Rashid for a while and didn’t see him today.
“He keeps a low profile and only goes out at night to go to the mosque.”
Yesterday a Met Police spokesman confirmed the 12 arrests and said “searches of a number of addresses in Barking are continuing”.
COPS THWART ROOFTOP LEAP
By Jack Royston
COPS had to talk a man out of leaping from a first-floor flat they raided in Barking, North East London, yesterday.
As marksmen surrounded the home above a Paddy Power bookies, one of the inhabitants flung open the window and climbed out.
A witness — who declined to be named — said: “A lot of police snipers were outside pointing their guns up at the flat.
“There was a guy trying to jump off the roof, he was panicking. There were plain-clothes officers trying to tell him not to jump.
“In the end he went back into the flat.”
Among those arrested above the shop was a women in pink hotpants and a man in a blue jumper and three-quarter length trousers.
Neighbours said they did not recognise those being led out in handcuffs.
But a shop worker told The Sun that the people had been living above the Paddy Power for at least six months.
He added: “I’ve seen three different cultures coming out of that flat. They have been very quiet.”
Another local said: “I saw some people being led from the flat but I did not know them. Nobody really talks to each other.”