A group of seven have been charged over a ram-raid that the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service will say had “a terrorist connection,” according to a report released on Tuesday. Two further suspects remain in custody for further investigation and have not yet been charged. The seven are due to appear at Westminister Magistrates Court.

On August 6, the seven allegedly ran a vehicle into the doors of Elbit Systems UK near Bristol to raid the company, which they allege sells equipment to the Israeli Defence Forces. As well as causing serious damage to the building, the group allegedly seriously assaulted employees and two police officers who attended the scene. They have been jointly charged with criminal damage and aggravated burglary, and each have individual additional charges, including violent disorder, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm with intent, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. A 45-year-old man from Warwickshire and a 33-year-old man from Manchester are in custody on suspicion of acts of terrorism, after magistrates granted the police the right to hold them. The police have until Friday to question the 45-year-old, and until Saturday to question the 35-year-old. Counter Terrorism Policing South East was quickly called to take on the investigation due to the company’s alleged links to Israel.

The alleged connection between Elbit Systems UK and the Israeli Defence Forces has been widely reported for years, despite the company’s previous denial of any connection with the Israeli Defence Forces or the Israeli Ministry of Defence. Their site claims that their UK facilities hire over 680 staff across 16 sites, performing several roles affiliated with the British Army.

The group Palestine Action have claimed responsibility for the incident. They stated that the “Filton premises [the building the seven allegedly raided] are the brand new £35m R&D [research and development] hub of Israel’s biggest weapons firm” and, “Direct action against Elbit aims to… [target] the source of colonial violence and genocide against the Palestinian people, undermining Elbit’s profiteering from Israel’s daily massacres.”

They also claim:

As well as detaining the [seven suspects] under unprecedented powers, police have launched a smear campaign against the detained actionists alleging violence against police and security guards. The activists are unable to respond to these claims… Palestine Action contends that these statements are designed to prejudice opinion and legal proceedings against activists and lay the groundwork for the police’s unjust use of authoritarian powers.

The Crown Prosecution Service warned against any reporting or commentary that may prejudice the proceedings and emphasized the defendants’ right to a fair trial.

These charges are unrelated to the recent rise in riots in the UK, as they are not associated with the July 29 Southport stabbings, in which a 17-year-old boy killed three children and injured five others.