Two men arrested after hospitals receive packages containing suspicious liquid

The men aged 29 and 37 from London were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Malicious Communications Act

More than 20 hospitals are thought to have received the packages (PA)

Counter-terrorism police have arrested two men after suspicious packages containing an unknown liquid were sent to hospitals across the UK.

The parcels, which have been received by up to 25 NHS trusts, purported to come from an organisation calling itself “The Cygnus Project”.

They contained a request that the enclosed sample should be tested, according to an alert sent out to staff by NHS England which has been seen by The Independent.

Initial testing has shown it is “highly unlikely” the substance is hazardous but further analysis is still being carried out, the message says.

NHS staff were advised to take precautionary measures including washing their hands after handling the package.

“Handle the package with care, wearing butyl gloves and quarantine it in a secure water-tight container,” the warning added.

Staff were also asked to alert Public Health England and the local police force and secure the package for collection.

It has been reported that one of the parcels was sent to Milton Keynes University Hospital’s research and development department on Wednesday.

“Staff followed the usual operational protocol, which includes alerting the police and NHS England,” said the Milton Keynes University Hospital Foundation Trust in a statement to the Health Service Journal.

“National Operations Centre tested the liquid and it was found to be non-suspicious and non-hazardous. It was therefore disposed of appropriately.”

The Metropolitan Police refused to comment on the number or names of hospitals that received the packages but said that so far nothing hazardous had been found.

In a statement issued on Friday the force said the two men were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Malicious Communications Act.

“Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command arrested a 29-year-old man from Brent and a 37-year-old man from Harrow at approximately 6.45pm yesterday, Thursday 2 August,” a spokesperson said.

“They were both arrested in Barnet and taken into custody at a north London police station. They were subsequently bailed to return to a north London police station in late August.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”