British anti-terrorist police shot a man in a dawn raid today on a house they suspected could have been used for making bombs or chemical weapons.
More than 250 officers, some wearing chemical, biological and radiological protection suits, descended on the house in east London at 4am in one of the biggest raids since last July's suicide bombings on the capital's transport system.
Police said a 23-year-old man who was at the house was shot by firearms officers.
"Because of the very specific nature of the intelligence, we planned an operation that was designed to mitigate any threat to the public either from firearms or from hazardous substances," said Peter Clarke, head of the UK's anti-terrorism branch.
The man was arrested in hospital on suspicion of "the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism", Mr Clarke said. A second man (20), believed to be a brother of the first man, was also arrested at the scene under the Terrorism Act.
Police said the man's injuries were not life-threatening and that one shot was fired.
A police spokeswoman said it was believed nothing suspicious had been found in initial searches at the house. The shooting was routinely referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Mr Clarke said the operation followed close liaison between police, the security services and the Health Protection Agency, a body charged with guarding against infectious diseases.
Police said the raid was not linked to last July's attacks on London's transport system which killed 52 people.