'Madrid attack' averted in London

BBC Online ^ | 9/12/04 | BBC

[AngloSaxon]

Police have prevented a terror attack in London on the scale of the Madrid bombings, according to a police chief. Speaking to BBC London on Thursday, Met Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens said terrorism was a major issue for the UK capital.

He said a number of terror attacks had been thwarted and hundreds of people were going through the courts.

"The risk of an attack to London has not changed; an attack is still inevitable," he said.

"Thank God to date, and we have had to work extremely hard, we've thwarted attacks, " he added.

[AngloSaxon]

Ping!

[bd476]

Good that they stopped it, bad that he says one is "inevitable."

[Slipperduke]

Jolly good, looks like we don't need those ID Cards after all, eh Blunkett?

Blunkett?

Where is he?

Good God, he's molesting the tea lady now! David! David! Put. Her. Down.

[jan in Colorado]

London ping

[AngloSaxon]

LOL!!!!!

Its pretty amazing how he manages it really! How much do you think the dog helps?

[Slipperduke]

I can only assume that it must do. I used to take my old dog down the pub and let her off the leash. She'd inevitably return 45 mins later, looking well fed and dragging a couple of adoring girls in tow.

And I thought dogs just fetched sticks!

[AngloSaxon]

"And I thought dogs just fetched sticks!"

Sticks or wood?

They probably do in Blunkett's case....eww!

[rogermellie]

not really, its just the way of things.

in the late 80's and early nineties we were stopping about 80% of PIRA attack both on the mainland and in NI, thats a pretty phenominal success rate, but the nature of cell-based terrrorism is that you can't stop them all.

thats why they use it.

[USF]

Unless the Brits toughen up their stance towards the many islamic terror groups at home and Londonistan (a nickmane reportedly given to London by the French security services of all people) in particular, its going to be likely that an attack will eventually occur.

However, they Brits strong point is they seem to have very good local intel and have been successful in busting everything from the ricin plot to the shoulder fired missle plot. So far...