Three men arrested in Edinburgh over alleged terror offences

Three men have been arrested over alleged terrorism offences in Edinburgh after being accused of displaying signs showing support for a proscribed organisation.

Police Scotland said a 58-year-old man was arrested near the Scottish Parliament on Monday afternoon.

The force said two men, aged 78 and 60, were also charged with the same offence at a protest in Edinburgh on Saturday.

In recent days more than 100 people protesting the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group have been arrested across the UK.

The arrests in Edinburgh came as three women were due to appear in court charged with terrorism offences after a van was driven into the fence of a defence factory in the capital.

The suspects, aged 31, 34 and 42, were arrested following the incident at Leonardo UK’s facility on Crewe Road North on Tuesday.

The Shut Down Leonardo campaign has said it was protesting against the company’s laser targeting system, which it claims is used by the Israeli military.

Leonardo said it does not supply equipment directly to Israel and that its main customer is the UK’s armed forces.

Dozens of pro-Palestine protesters held a demonstration outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court ahead of the hearing.

Meanwhile, counter-terrorism officers have also been investigating reports that people on a pro-Palestinian march in Edinburgh were wearing T-shirts and holding banners expressing support for direct-action group Palestine Action, which was banned as a terrorist organisation in June.

That means being a member of, or supporting, Palestine Action is a criminal offence.

Thousands of people marched through the Scottish capital on Saturday demanding an end to the bloodshed in Gaza.

Demonstrations also took place in London, Manchester, Bristol and Truro, leading to more than 100 arrests.