Scotland Yard has warned businesses in London to expect a Mumbai-style attack on the capital.
In a briefing in the City of London 12 days ago, a senior detective from SO15, the Metropolitan police counter-terrorism command, said: “Mumbai is coming to London.”
The detective said companies should anticipate a shooting and hostage-taking raid “involving a small number of gunmen with handguns and improvised explosive devices”.
The warning ”” the bluntest issued by police ”” has underlined an assessment that a terrorist cell may be preparing an attack on London early next year.
I can’t say I would be surprised by that if something happened along those lines eventually. One of the weirdest things I have ever seen was getting off the tube in White Chapel, London, and exiting to find that I had entered what appeared to Baghdad or Cairo. Open air Arabic-style markets and burkas as far as the eye could see. I walked blocks before hearing anyone speaking English.
It is something I have lived with in my working life, bombs on each side of my office, narrowly avoiding the Harrods bomb. Whether it was the IRA or Islamic nutjobs it is not nice knowing that there are people around who wish you harm.
Archer, I know exactly what you mean. Britain frequently has been my vacation destination over the years and I had the same experience in 2002. Coming so soon after 9/11, I couldn’t help the nervousness that I felt and, at the same time, I felt a bit ashamed for feeling it. But, like you said, it was just weird.
I love England and her people. I’m hoping to go this year to visit friends. And I pray that the Met. Police are being overly cautious and nothing will happen there. Or here.
Prayers for all who are in harm’s way or in any way at risk from the plotting and scheming of terrorists. And I pray that the Metropolitan Police and any other security forces will be guided to uncover such schemes before they can be enacted.
During the early phase of the Mumbai attack, the terrorists took taxi cabs around town, leaving behind explosive devices in the cabs when they exited. The cabs would then explode some time later in random locations, causing considerable confusion as responders tries to discern a pattern. In the meanitme, the terrorists then attacked their assigned targets. Any large city is vulnerable to this sort of tactic, unless the attack is preempted.
Small help, perhaps, but maybe taxi drivers need to take a moment to insure their passengers don’t leave them any “gifts”. It would be in their own best interest.