London authorities announced on Wednesday that three more men had been detained in connection with last weekend's deadly terrorist attack in the city. The announcement came on the eve of Britain's general election.

The Metropolitan Police said they had arrested two suspects, 27 and 29 years old, on terrorism charges and a 33-year-old associate on drug charges in Ilford, east London. Officers then carried out raids on a number of residences in the area, the latest in a series of searches hoping to root out the homegrown Islamist terrorist cell that carried out the attack.

The violence occurred on Saturday night in the Southwark area of London. Three men deliberately drove a vehicle into pedestrian traffic on London Bridge, before fleeing to nearby Borough Market, where they began stabbing bystanders with long knives. They killed eight people and caused dozens of injuries before being shot dead by police.

It was the third terrorist attack in the UK in as many months, and came less than two weeks after a suicide bomber killed 22 people at a concert in Manchester.

Police have arrested 17 so far in connection to the incident in London, but have released 12 of them without charge.

In preparation for Thursday's general election, London police said they had put in place a "specialist and highly flexible operation" ready for deployment at a moment's notice.

es/rc (AFP, Reuters)