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| UK police increase presence at key sites after Brussels blasts | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UK response | UK response |
| British police reacted to the attacks on Brussels by boosting patrols at sites feared to be most vulnerable to terrorist attack. | British police reacted to the attacks on Brussels by boosting patrols at sites feared to be most vulnerable to terrorist attack. |
| UK security officials are waiting for details from their Belgian counterparts about who the attackers are, who they may be connected to, and how they may have slipped the net. | UK security officials are waiting for details from their Belgian counterparts about who the attackers are, who they may be connected to, and how they may have slipped the net. |
| Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the national lead for counter-terrorism policing, said: “As a precaution forces across the UK have increased policing presence at key locations, including transport hubs, to protect the public and provide reassurance.” | Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the national lead for counter-terrorism policing, said: “As a precaution forces across the UK have increased policing presence at key locations, including transport hubs, to protect the public and provide reassurance.” |
| Events in Brussels have not changed the UK threat level from Islamist terrorism, which remains at severe, meaning an attack is assessed to be highly likely. | Events in Brussels have not changed the UK threat level from Islamist terrorism, which remains at severe, meaning an attack is assessed to be highly likely. |
| The biggest target in Britain for terrorists is still judged to be London. | The biggest target in Britain for terrorists is still judged to be London. |
| Rowley said: “In London specifically, the Metropolitan police service has mobilised additional officers, who will carry out highly visible patrols at key locations around the capital including the transport network. The number of officers deployed will be regularly assessed. These additional officers are deployed as part of reassurance measures.” | Rowley said: “In London specifically, the Metropolitan police service has mobilised additional officers, who will carry out highly visible patrols at key locations around the capital including the transport network. The number of officers deployed will be regularly assessed. These additional officers are deployed as part of reassurance measures.” |
| Police forces are providing the extra patrols and visible presence from their existing resources. | Police forces are providing the extra patrols and visible presence from their existing resources. |
| A special national police unit, the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) was “fully operational” and would find extra officers from around Britain, for example from county forces in mainly rural areas, to rush to sites in London and other big cities if even further patrols were judged necessary. | A special national police unit, the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) was “fully operational” and would find extra officers from around Britain, for example from county forces in mainly rural areas, to rush to sites in London and other big cities if even further patrols were judged necessary. |
| The extra patrols provide deterrence for any would-be attackers or even the carrying out of hostile reconnaissance, as well as reassurance to the public to continue their business as normal. | The extra patrols provide deterrence for any would-be attackers or even the carrying out of hostile reconnaissance, as well as reassurance to the public to continue their business as normal. |
| Police across the UK will be awaiting any instructions or decisions from the meeting on Tuesday morning of Cobra, the government crisis committee. All flights between the UK and the main airport in Brussels have been cancelled for the rest of Tuesday. | Police across the UK will be awaiting any instructions or decisions from the meeting on Tuesday morning of Cobra, the government crisis committee. All flights between the UK and the main airport in Brussels have been cancelled for the rest of Tuesday. |
| The UK threat level assessment is made by the joint terrorism assessment centre, which sits within MI5. It was raised in 2014 after an Islamic State fatwa ordering its followers to attack western targets. | The UK threat level assessment is made by the joint terrorism assessment centre, which sits within MI5. It was raised in 2014 after an Islamic State fatwa ordering its followers to attack western targets. |
| Rowley said: “The threat to the UK from international terrorism remains at severe – as it has been since August 2014, meaning an attack is highly likely.” | Rowley said: “The threat to the UK from international terrorism remains at severe – as it has been since August 2014, meaning an attack is highly likely.” |
| British counter-terrorism officials will be scouring intelligence for any connections to Brussels-based jihadis and awaiting any fresh information from their Belgian counterparts. | British counter-terrorism officials will be scouring intelligence for any connections to Brussels-based jihadis and awaiting any fresh information from their Belgian counterparts. |
| The London mayor, Boris Johnson, told Sky News: “We are stepping up a presence at transport hubs and major airports, but that is purely for the purpose of reassurance and does not reflect any intelligence we have about a threat to London.” | The London mayor, Boris Johnson, told Sky News: “We are stepping up a presence at transport hubs and major airports, but that is purely for the purpose of reassurance and does not reflect any intelligence we have about a threat to London.” |
| Greater Manchester police said they had also increased patrols. Asst Ch Const John O’Hare said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by the incidents in Brussels today. | Greater Manchester police said they had also increased patrols. Asst Ch Const John O’Hare said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by the incidents in Brussels today. |
| “There is no specific threat in Greater Manchester following the events this morning but we remain at a threat level of severe. | “There is no specific threat in Greater Manchester following the events this morning but we remain at a threat level of severe. |
| “We are working closely with Manchester airport to ensure that the appropriate response is in place and we have increased our patrols to support this. We will continue to review the situation and maintain our increased patrols in crowded areas, iconic locations and transport hubs. | “We are working closely with Manchester airport to ensure that the appropriate response is in place and we have increased our patrols to support this. We will continue to review the situation and maintain our increased patrols in crowded areas, iconic locations and transport hubs. |
| “The events today in Brussels reinforce the need for us all to remain vigilant and report any concerns whilst continuing with normal daily life.” | “The events today in Brussels reinforce the need for us all to remain vigilant and report any concerns whilst continuing with normal daily life.” |
| France deploys extra 1,600 police | France deploys extra 1,600 police |
| France is to deploy an extra 1,600 police at its borders following the Brussels attack, the country’s interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, has announced. “It is essential to maintain a vigilance,” he said in a televised address. | France is to deploy an extra 1,600 police at its borders following the Brussels attack, the country’s interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, has announced. “It is essential to maintain a vigilance,” he said in a televised address. |
| Security forces in France remain at a high state of alert after last year’s terror attacks there. | Security forces in France remain at a high state of alert after last year’s terror attacks there. |
| The apparently coordinated explosions in Brussels on Tuesday came four days after the arrest in a Brussels shootout of the only known survivor of 10 Islamist attackers who killed 130 people in a string of suicide bombings and shootings in Paris in November. | The apparently coordinated explosions in Brussels on Tuesday came four days after the arrest in a Brussels shootout of the only known survivor of 10 Islamist attackers who killed 130 people in a string of suicide bombings and shootings in Paris in November. |
| All trains to Brussels stations from Paris have been cancelled. | All trains to Brussels stations from Paris have been cancelled. |
| Similar measures were expected in other European countries. | Similar measures were expected in other European countries. |
| International reaction | International reaction |
| The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has tweeted that Australians are in solidarity with the people of Belgium following the attacks. | The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has tweeted that Australians are in solidarity with the people of Belgium following the attacks. |
| “Deeply concerned by the attacks in Brussels. Australians’ thoughts, prayers & solidarity are with the people of Belgium,” he tweeted after Tuesday’s attacks. | “Deeply concerned by the attacks in Brussels. Australians’ thoughts, prayers & solidarity are with the people of Belgium,” he tweeted after Tuesday’s attacks. |
| Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said in a statement the Australian government condemned the atrocities. “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the people of Belgium.” | Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said in a statement the Australian government condemned the atrocities. “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the people of Belgium.” |