London terrorist police chief warns of threats

LONDON (Reuters) – London faces the threat of more
terrorist attacks despite increased security in the wake of the
deadly July bombings, a senior police chief said in an
interview published on Thursday.

Assistant Commission Andrew Hayman, who heads London’s
anti-terrorist operations, said detectives were tracking a
number of potential suspects not linked to the events in July.

Four British Muslims killed themselves and 52 others in
suicide bombings on three underground trains and a bus on July
7. Two weeks later four bombers failed in an attempt to repeat
the attacks.

“I don’t want to scaremonger but it has to be said, when
you look around the world and at the prominence of London, that
the threat is real,” Hayman said in an interview with Britain’s
Guardian newspaper.

“We always remain active in covert operations. We have a
number of people who are of interest. London is an iconic site
as a location for another terrorist attack. We have to be
vigilant but you can’t predict where or how or when they will
try.”

Hayman added that no master plot had been discovered and he
gave no details of the terror threat or those under
observation.

Interior minister Charles Clarke said earlier this month
that hundreds of possible terrorist suspects were being
monitored.

He said Britain had boosted security services’ resources
and recruitment since the July attacks.