The home-made bomb which injured 30 when it partially detonated at Parsons Green last week contained a ‘large quantity of explosive’ and was ‘packed with shrapnel’, the head of Scotland Yard has revealed.
Cressida Dick, the Commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police, said the device left on the tube train was ‘very, very dangerous’ and the carnage ‘could have been so much worse’.
She also revealed that, as well as the five terror attacks which have taken place in the UK this year, police have foiled six further attacks in the last few months.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has told how the Parsons Green tube bomb contained a ‘large quantity of explosive’ and the incident ‘could have been so much worse’
The bomb failed to fully detonate in the tube carriage, meaning 30 were injured by none killed
Police have arrested six people over the Parsons Green tube bomb and since released two with no further action. The bomb failed to fully detonate, meaning no body was killed.
Ms Dick told LBC radio: ‘Thank goodness no one was killed at Parsons Green, it must have been absolutely horrific for those people in the train and many people suffered injuries.’
The attack was seen as a changing in tactic by terrorists, who had previously used suicide bombs and knife attacks to kill and maim, rather than leaving devices unattended.
Ms Dick declined to confirm that 300 people are now under 24-hour surveillance by anti-terror officers, but said the force is ‘feeling the strain’ of the shifting threat.
On the changing methods used by terrorists, she added: ‘I don’t think there is a guiding mind between the people that have been attacking us this year, or across Europe, or in Australia or anywhere else. Different tactics will be used at different times.’
The latest bombing has led to renewed criticism of internet firms, who are seen as dragging their heels over taking down extremist content and bomb making advice online.
Police have since made arrests in Dover, London and Newport, south Wales. They are searching a number of properties, including the home of a foster couple who took in an Iraqi 18-year-old at the centre of the investigation
In the week since the attack, six people have been picked up by police across Britain
Ms Dick said that police tip off websites to hundreds of extremists websites and postings, which are then taken down.
Responding to comments by Theresa May this week, she added: ‘I think what the Prime Minister was saying was that this should be more mechanised and companies themselves should be enforcing this. They have the technology to do this, was her argument.
‘I’m sure, in terms of criminal content or content which could be used by criminals, we would all agree with that.’
She said internet firms should be ‘socially responsible’, but that the police shouldn’t be ‘policing people’s thoughts’.
She agreed that it was ‘ridiculous’ that, when purchasing some items needed for bombs, Amazon’s website could suggest other items needed.
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