MI5 under fire after attacks

HAD SUSPECTS ON THEIR RADAR ‘There were some indications that, on the face of it, may have been missed.’

Britain yesterday held a minute’s silence for the victims of the London terror attack, just two days before a general election, as questions mounted over an assailant who was known to MI5.

With flags flying at half-mast, Britain fell silent as clocks struck 11am to remember the seven people killed and dozens injured in the central London attack on Saturday evening.

While Londoners have declared their defiance in the face of terror, bunches of flowers piling up point to a city in mourning less than three months since five were killed outside the British parliament in another attack.

“To the sick and evil extremists who commit these hideous crimes, we will defeat you. You will not win,” mayor Sadiq Khan said during a vigil on Monday.

As Khan spoke, police named two of the three attackers as Khuram Shazad Butt and Rachid Redouane.

“Khuram Shazad Butt was known to the police and MI5. However, there was no intelligence to suggest that this attack was being planned,” the Metropolitan Police said.

A total of 12 people arrested as part of the investigation have since been released without charge.

The announcement that British intelligence services knew of Butt drew immediate criticism.

“There were some red lights flashing, certainly in the case of Mr Butt,” Michael Clarke, a fellow at the RUSI defence and security think-tank, told the BBC.

The London attack follows the May 22 suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena by Salman Abedi – killing 22 people including children – who was also known to British intelligence services.

“Certainly with Abedi in Manchester and Butt now, it looks as if there were some indications that, on the face of it, may have been missed and I think that will be a great concern,” Clarke added.

“Why didn’t they stop TV jihadi?” read The Sun front page, while The Daily Mirror asked: “So how the hell did he slip through?” – AFP