Barham terror plot: What we know so far

It was supposed to be a chance for thousands of Muslims to come together to pray, celebrate Islam and their community, and learn more about their faith.

But the UK Ijtima event at Shrubland Hall, in Barham, near Ipswich, descended into panic on Sunday morning as police, including armed officers, swarmed the scene.

The weekend-long celebration, which started on Friday, was shut down by Suffolk Police after an alleged terror threat was made against the event.

Counter Terrorism Policing launched an investigation and confirmed that 12 people had been arrested. So what happened and what do we know so far?

According to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Ijtima events allow followers to "reform and strengthen" their efforts in "conveying the message of Islam to all of humanity".

The festival of 15,000 people was promoted as being an "opportunity for reflection and spiritual renewal" and a "historic gathering".

Muslims from about 50 countries were encouraged to attend the event, with coaches being laid on to transport attendees to and from the site.

A poster for the event claimed it would be the first UK Ijtima on such a scale since 1985 and would, therefore, give some Muslims the chance to connect for the first time in 41 years.

It also suggested the Grade II listed Shrubland Hall and its surrounding estate of sprawling gardens and woodland was the "ideal" setting for the event.

Also known as Shrubland Palace and built in the early 1770s, the "secluded location" of the country house meant there would be "minimal impact on the local area", it added.

The festival, which welcomed attendees to the site from Friday, was not meant to end until 14:00 BST on Sunday.

It was hoped that local businesses, such as shops and taxis, would benefit from increased trade throughout the weekend, but by 07:00 on Sunday it had been shut down.

Suffolk Police worked with the organisers to quickly wind down the gathering "after receiving information about a possible threat made towards the event".

The BBC understands officers informed organisers of a "credible threat" during the early hours of the morning and they agreed to stop the event after morning prayer.

The force said at the time that the decision was made as a precaution and there was "no wider threat to the public".

On Monday, Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) confirmed it had been made aware of a "potential serious threat" towards the event and declared a major incident.

That status was stood down after 12 people were arrested in connection with the investigation, which the CTP described as being "right-wing terrorism related".

They were held on suspicion of terrorism offences, conspiracy to murder and assisting an offender.

On Tuesday, CTP London Commander Helen Flanagan said officers had been given up to seven days to question the eight people arrested under the Terrorism Act.

They are:

• Two men, aged 27 and 29, who were arrested in Surrey

• Two men, both 42, who are being held in Essex

• Two men, 31 and 33, who are being held in London

• One man, 27, who was arrested in Ipswich

• One man, 35, who was arrested in Greater Manchester

Three men, aged 55, 60 and 82, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder have been released on bail, as has a 48-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Homes and vehicles were searched and more than 35 digital devices were recovered. A vehicle was seized.

Flanagan said: "We are very aware this will be concerning to the public, particularly the Muslim community given the potential target of this threat.

"I would like to praise the support of the event organisers for their support and their understanding whilst this investigation has been ongoing.

"I also hope that our response reassures the public that policing stands ready to respond and take action to keep all of our communities and the public safe."

In a statement on Sunday morning, the event's organisers said the decision to stop the festival earlier than planned was "taken in the interests of public safety".

"As responsible organisers, we immediately accepted the advice of Suffolk Police and worked closely with officers to facilitate the safe and orderly departure of all attendees," a spokesperson said.

"The welfare of our guests, neighbouring residents and the wider community has always been our highest priority."

Ruman Muhith, a Labour member on Ipswich Borough Council, attended the festival and assisted the organisers.

"I don't think anyone expected it. This doesn't happen in Suffolk – it's a very peaceful and multi-cultural county," he told the BBC.

"It was surreal, and this could have been potentially the largest terror attack on British soil, period."

Muhith stressed that the Muslim community would not be intimidated.

"We are not going to let a small minority stop events that are peaceful, safe and legal," he added.

"Ignorant people will remain ignorant, and ignorance should never, never dictate the freedom of people to openly celebrate or worship."

Imam Qasim Ahmad is one of the custodians of the Shrubland Estate and the chair of the committee which decides what activities take place there.

He said two weeks before the event, organisers had been informed of a potential demonstration outside the estate, which he said would have been "welcomed".

The terror threat, however, made for a "tense situation".

"It was shocking to see that people could go to that level in this country, and it sends shivers in our bodies when we think about it," said Ahmad.

"It was quite a stressful situation at that time to have the pressure of evacuating everybody, which we managed to do within two hours."

Anita Woolnough said she felt the police had "handled it really well".

"You don't normally see that in a little village like this. It's very peaceful, but they handled it really well," she said.

Jason Langford, who lives in Great Blakenham, said he was "still reeling" from what had happened.

"You just don't expect it in rural Suffolk," he told the BBC.

"I was amazed by the armed police, the road closures – it was absolute carnage."

Robert Stamper, who lives in the village, said the event itself was well organised, and any concerns about the thousands of people attending were "blown out of proportion".

"It didn't bother me and there were no problems except the pub had to close down, and having pubs in our local village is very important for us," he said.

"But as the event goes, I think it was well managed."

The pub was The Sorrel Horse, which is a stone's throw away from where the event was hosted.

On Saturday evening, some festival-goers are understood to have gone there to watch the England v Norway World Cup match.

But it had to be closed on Sunday while the police carried out their investigations, resulting in a loss of what its owner, Neil Jackson, said was thousands of pounds.

"We have all lost an awful lot of money, so hopefully they'll be able to compensate us," he said.

"They're sort of saying it wasn't their fault, but it was still their event."

Ipswich MP Jack Abbott said the police's swift intervention on Sunday "undoubtedly saved many lives".

"I know this incident this cause deep concern, particularly within our Muslim communities in Ipswich and Suffolk," he said.

"Our town and county are welcoming and inclusive, and we must come together to reject this sort of hatred towards our friends and neighbours."

That was echoed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who said the response of the police in tackling a "credible threat" meant attended were "kept safe".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the incident as "shocking".

"My message is clear: I will not tolerate any attacks on our Muslim communities, or any form of anti-Muslim hatred," he added.

Do you have a story suggestion for Suffolk? Contact us below.

Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.