London defiant
LONDON Police say they are making ‘‘good progress’’ in their investigation into the bombing of an Underground train at the Parsons Green tube station in southwest London.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said the public should be reassured, and that more police and troops would be on the city’s streets.
‘‘We are only aware of one device,’’ he said, referring to the bomb that partially detonated on Friday. ‘‘We have remnants of that device. We are chasing down suspects.’’
He refused to provide further details about the bomb, saying an investigation was under way.
Rowley said police were combing through closed-circuit TV film and other data seeking information on the suspected bomber and on possible accomplices.
British officials have raised the country’s terrorism threat level to ‘‘critical’ – meaning another attack is expected shortly.
Prime Minister Theresa May acted on the recommendation of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre.
The threat was raised from ‘‘severe’’ to ‘‘critical’’ – its highest possible level.
May said the decision would be kept under review. The threat level was briefly raised to critical after the May 22 suicide bombing at Manchester Arena.
May also said troops would augment the police presence on London in a ‘‘proportionate and sensible step’’.
Islamic State group is claiming that the London explosion was carried out by an affiliated unit. The claim was posted yesterday on internet channels affiliated with the extremist group.
The homemade bomb planted in a rush-hour train carriage injured 29 people, in the fourth terrorist attack in the British capital this year. Police said most of those injured suffered flash burns.
May said speculation about the bomb was unhelpful, after United States President Donald Trump suggested that London police missed an opportunity to prevent it.
Trump tweeted that the bombing was ‘‘another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!’’.
Asked about Trump’s comments, May said: ‘‘I never think it’s helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation.’’
London police have declined to comment on Trump’s tweets.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said yesterday the city ‘‘will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism’’.
Khan said the city ‘‘utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life’’. However, he added that Londoners should remain ‘‘calm and vigilant’’.
London has been targeted by attackers several times this year, with vehicle attacks near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London.
Terrorism analyst Magnus Ranstorp, with the Swedish Defense University, said Londoners were very fortunate because the bomb appeared not to have fully detonated.
After studying photos of the device, he said ‘‘it seems that this was hastily put together. Probably not very well mixed together’’.
‘‘They were really lucky with this one. It could have really become much worse.’’
German and French leaders REUTERS say the attack has only strengthened their determination to increase international cooperation in fighting terrorism.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in Berlin yesterday: ‘‘Our thoughts are of course with the wounded, our thoughts are with the British population.’’
Philippe said the London bomb and an attempt the same day by a knife-wielding assailant to attack a soldier at a Paris subway interchange ‘‘show how much we collectively, in France, Britain and also in Germany, face a major threat’’.
The New York Police Department says it has moved extra officers, bomb detection dogs and heavy weapons teams into the city’s transit system as a precaution following the London subway bombing. Department spokesman J Peter Donald said the NYPD was also monitoring intelligence through a joint terrorism task force.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said he had directed state law enforcement to increase transportation security at airports, bridges, tunnels and mass transit systems across New York. AP