Threat level at ‘critical’ after bomb attack

Terror level raised to critical after Parsons Green bombing Met launches manhunt as military police are drafted in

The UK terror threat was last night increased to its highest level as police hunted those responsible for a Tube bombing in south-west London.

Prime Minister Theresa May said the threat was critical, meaning an attack is expected imminently.

The alert level was raised after a device was detonated at Parsons Green station during yesterday morning’s rush-hour.

Britain was last night placed on the highest terror threat level with the military set to bolster security as police hunt the Parsons Green bomb “suspects”.

Prime Minister Theresa May has raised the threat level to critical, meaning another attack is expected imminently.

A manhunt was also under way yesterday after an improvised explosive device (IED) sent a fireball through a packed London Underground train carriage in south-west London during the Friday morning rush-hour. Twentynine people were injured in the attack.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley suggested that there may have been more than one person involved, stating that police were “chasing down suspects”.

In a statement outside Scotland Yard, 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.”

The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility through its Amaq news agency, according to the Usbased Site Intelligence.

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.

“And indeed members of 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 taken away for specialist examination by forensic scientists.

“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 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 the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and Ministry of Defence police.

“We are working through all of those lines of inquiry, 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 [that] it would be wrong to put any more information out.

“You’ll be aware it’s very routine in these sorts 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, its components and how it works. I think to put that information out publicly 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.”

Witnesses earlier described scenes of terror and panic as the blast sent a “fireball” and a “wall of flame” through a District line service at Parsons Green station in west London.

Police suspect the explosion was sparked when an improvised explosive device was detonated, and have launched a huge counter-terrorism investigation alongside MI5.

The device was last night being forensically examined while detectives were scouring CCTV and examining witness statements for potential leads.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday told LBC radio that there was “a manhunt under way as we speak”, while Scotland Yard said detectives were making “fast-time” inquiries to establish who was responsible. Mrs May condemned the “cowardly attack”, saying it involved a device “clearly intended to cause significant harm”.

Sylvain Pennec, a software developer from Southfields, near Wimbledon, was about ten metres from the source of the explosion when fire filled the carriage at Parsons Green.

“I heard a boom and when I looked there were flames all around,” he said. “People started to run but we were lucky to be stopping at Parsons Green as the door started to open.”

COMMENT “Whilst we chase down the suspects, we are strengthening our policing resources on the streets of London and across the country” MARK ROWLEY Met Assistant Commissioner