LONDON (Sputnik) — The number of arrests made by the UK police in connection with terrorism has increased by almost 70 percent in 2017, reaching a total of 379, according to statistics issued by the UK Home Office on Thursday.
"There were 379 arrests for terrorism-related offenses in the year ending June 2017, an increase of 68% compared with the 226 arrests in the previous year, the highest number of arrests in a year since the data collection began in 2001," the statistical bulletin read.
According to the UK Home Office, 12 arrests were made in relation to the terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge and Westminster Palace in March, 23 people were arrested after the Manchester attack in May, 21 arrests followed the London Bridge attack in June and one arrest was made after the Finsbury Park Mosque attack the same month.
Over recent months, a wave of primarily Islamist-motivated terrorist attacks has hit a number of countries in Europe, which, apart from the United Kingdom, include France and Sweden.
