PM raises threat level to ‘critical’ as terror returns to streets of London
BRITAIN is on the highest terror alert with the military set to bolster security as police hunt the Parsons Green bomb suspects.
Prime Minister Theresa May raised the threat level to ‘critical’, meaning another attack is expected imminently.
A manhunt is under way after the improvised explosive device sent a fireball through a packed London Underground train carriage during the Friday morning rush-hour.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley suggested there may have been more than one person involved, stating that police were “chasing down suspects”.
The UK’s most senior anti-terror police officer said: “Somebody has planted an improvised explosive device on the Tube — we have to be open-minded at this stage about him and about potential associates.”
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency, according to the US-based Site Intelligence.
It is the second time this year that the threat assessment has been raised to the highest level.
It was placed at critical in May in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing, before being lowered to severe four days later.
Before this year the most serious category had only been reached on two other occasions since it was first publicly disclosed in August 2006.
Rita Katz, director of Site, said IS claimed the bombing was the work of a “detachment” rather than simply a “soldier”, which she suggested implied it was a co-ordinated attack.
Although it released a formal communique for the attack, which injured 29, it provided no details on who the attacker or attackers were, Site said.
IS has frequently declared it was behind terrorist incidents in recent years but experts have warned that its claims should be treated with caution.
As Britain faced up to another terrorist incident, following four attacks already this year:
Images emerged on social media appearing to show wires protruding from a flaming bucket inside a plastic Lidl carrier bag on the floor of a carriage.
Reports suggested the device had a timer.
A total of 29 patients needed hospital treatment, with a number of those hurt suffering from burns.
Scotland Yard and the Prime Minister rebuked US President Donald Trump over his claim the Parsons Green Tube bomber was “in the sights” of Scotland Yard.
Mr Rowley said detectives were only aware of one device and refused to be drawn on details of the suspects because of the “covert” nature of the operation.
He said: “Detectives have spoken to tens of witnesses and we have taken a large number of calls to the anti-terror hotline from members of the public.
“Indeed the public have sent in so far 77 images and videos they have taken at the scene and these have been sent into our appeal website, and these are being assessed for evidential value.
“Meanwhile, the improvised explosive device on the train, the remnants of it have now been made safe and they’ve been taken away for examination.
“So whilst we chase down the suspects, as the public would expect, we are strengthening our policing resources on the streets of London and across the country whilst continuing the investigation.
“I have asked Government ministers earlier on for permission to use members of the military to free up extra police resources. What that gives me and my team is an extra thousand armed police officers, largely from Civil Nuclear Constabulary and Ministry of Defence police.
“We are working through all of those lines of enquiry, we are making really good progress on that investigation. I know there’s a clamour for more detail, you’ll understand when we’ve got heavy covert components to what we’re doing it would be wrong for to put any more information out.
“You’ll be aware it’s very routine in these sort of circumstances that IS will claim responsibility whether or not they’ve had any previous engagement with the individuals involved.
“I’ve had a very detailed briefing on the device, it’s components and how it works, I think to put that information out publically at the moment would be inappropriate given it’s part of the investigation.
“We are only aware of one device, so we now have the remnants of that device, it’s been examined by our experts, we’re chasing down suspects.”
Armed police and military personnel will be deployed over the weekend with the public asked to remain vigilant.
Mr Rowley said: “Military personnel have been drafted in to protect national infrastructure sites, allowing additional armed police officers to carry out patrols. Communities across the UK can expect to see more officers, both armed and unarmed, on patrol by foot and in vehicles over the weekend. In particular, they will be patrolling at crowded places, iconic sites, transport hubs and ports.”