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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/22/uk-police-increase-presence-at-key-locations-after-brussels-blasts
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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Cameron calls for unity against terror, as police step up patrols | Cameron calls for unity against terror, as police step up patrols |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UK response | UK response |
| The prime minister, David Cameron, has said the countries of Europe need to “stand together” against terror following the attacks in Brussels, while UK police have stepped up patrols at key sites. | The prime minister, David Cameron, has said the countries of Europe need to “stand together” against terror following the attacks in Brussels, while UK police have stepped up patrols at key sites. |
| Cameron, who chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee in the British capital early on Tuesday, said: “We face a very real terrorist threat right across the different countries of Europe and we have to meet that with everything we have.” | |
| He said a united front was needed “against these appalling terrorists to make sure they can never win”. | He said a united front was needed “against these appalling terrorists to make sure they can never win”. |
| One British national is known to have been injured in the bomb attack on the airport in Brussels, Downing Street said. | One British national is known to have been injured in the bomb attack on the airport in Brussels, Downing Street said. |
| Earlier, British police reacted to the attacks on Brussels by boosting patrols at sites feared to be most vulnerable to terrorist attack. | Earlier, British police reacted to the attacks on Brussels by boosting patrols at sites feared to be most vulnerable to terrorist attack. |
| 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.” | |
| The prime minister chaired a 40-minute meeting of Cobra in Whitehall. Cameron’s official spokeswoman confirmed at least one British injury and said the Foreign Office was providing consular support in Brussels. | |
| The prime minister spoke with the Belgian PM after the Cobra meeting, offering condolences and practical support and expertise from the police. | |
| Security has been increased at airports and key locations including Dover, Calais, London St Pancras International and at the east coast ports. It has also been increased at key London transport interchanges and on the tube network. Flags are being flown at half-mast on government buildings in solidarity with Belgium, and the Belgian flag is being raised over Downing Street. | |
| UK security officials are waiting for details from their Belgian counterparts about the identity of the attackers, who they may be connected to, and how they may have slipped the net. UK police have asked Britons who were in Brussels and have pictures or video of the attacks to upload the material to a special website so it can be passed on to investigators. | |
| Events in Brussels have not changed the UK threat level from Islamist terrorism, which remains at severe, meaning an attack is assessed as 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 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 Cobra meeting on Tuesday morning. 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. 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 1,600 extra police | |
| France is to deploy an extra 1,600 police officers 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 the Belgian capital 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. Similar measures were expected in other European countries. | |
| US | |
| In the US, police were increasing patrols as a precautionary measure. In New York, police were deploying extra counter-terrorism and other resources across the city and underground transport system. | |
| The NYPD said the measures were out of an “abundance of caution” and added it was “closely monitoring the situation in Belgium and is in close contact with our international partners and with the FBI”. | |
| It continued: “Until we learn more, the department has deployed additional counterterrorism resources across the city ... these teams have been deployed to crowded areas and transit locations.” | |
| “At this time, there is no known indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City. We will continue to follow the situation in Belgium closely with the joint terrorism task force and the FBI and adjust the department’s deployments accordingly.” | |
| In Washington DC, transport police said in a tweet: “No known, specific or credible threat to Metro at this time. Additional K9 sweeps + patrols starting this AM as precaution.” | |
| On the US financial markets, shares in American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Continental Holdings , JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines were down between 3.3% and 1.6% in pre-market trading. | |
| Delta and United Airlines rerouted Brussels-bound flights to other locations following the attacks. | |
| International reaction | International reaction |
| The Russian transport minister, Maxim Sokolov, said the authorities would review security at the country’s airports.In Germany, the state rail system, Deutsche Bahn, has halted its high-speed rail service from Germany to Brussels. The company said its ICE trains were stopping at the border city of Aachen. | |
| The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, tweeted that Australians were 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,” she said |