We’ve foiled attacks with minutes to go says Met boss

POLICE thwarted five terrorist attacks in recent months including some which were ‘very close’ to execution, Britain’s top officer said yesterday.

Cressida Dick revealed officers tackled a ‘very large number of plots’ amid a surge in hatred fuelled by Islamic State supporters.

The Scotland Yard chief said that in addition ‘hundreds and hundreds’ of suspected extremists have been arrested for spouting vile propaganda.

Miss Dick said five plots were smashed by counter terrorist police and the security services over the ‘last three to four months’.

Speaking on LBC Radio, she said: ‘Overall I think it is well into the teens in the last couple of years, where we know people were intent on attacking and that has been stopped.

‘In addition, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of arrests of people who are radicalised, and are either spreading hatred or supporting terrorism, or want to carry out a terrorist attack.

‘We have had a huge number of successful operations, together with the intelligence agencies and we work very closely with them and with colleagues overseas.’

Quizzed on how far the thwarted attacks got, Miss Dick said some of them were within minutes of being carried out by terrorists. ‘Some of them were very close, we would say, to an attack – very close,’ she said. Asked if they were ‘within minutes’ she replied: ‘Yes.’

Police fear further ‘lone wolf’ attacks by those who fall into the thrall of potent online propaganda calling for followers to strike with whatever and wherever they can.

Mrs Dick said she has worked to combat terrorism for ‘ 17 years on and off’ and highlighted how violent extremism ‘comes in many forms’.

She added: ‘We are undoubtedly seeing recent examples of people who have carried out attacks or people who are violent extremists who are home grown. Essentially, they’re living in our communities and that’s a problem for all of us.’

In the wake of attacks on Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge the security services remain on high alert.

Prime Minister Theresa May has launched a review of the country’s entire counter terrorism strategy.

She has also rounded on those who ‘tolerate extremism’, by allowing them to publish online or spout their vile views in real life, telling them: ‘Enough is enough.’

Mrs May is to consider longer prison sentences for terrorist offences and other measures to stop extremism.