The Belgian flag flew at half-mast in Downing Street on Tuesday as Britain showed solidarity with its European partner following the deadly Brussels
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The Belgian flag flew at half-mast in Downing Street on Tuesday as Britain showed solidarity with its European partner following the deadly Brussels terrorist attacks.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron chaired a COBRA crisis response meeting and stepped up security at home, not least in London whose own transport network is no stranger to terrorism.
“These were attacks in Belgium,” Cameron said.
“They could just as well have been attacks in Britain or in France or Germany or elsewhere in Europe and we need to stand together against these appalling terrorists and make sure they can never win.”
The terrorists behind today’s atrocities attack our way of life and they attack us because of who we are. We will never let them win.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) 22 mars 2016
“We obviously have still got information coming in and if there is information that implies there is a direct threat to the United Kingdom, we would raise the security threat even higher than it is today,” Cameron said.
British police said they would step up their presence at key locations nationwide, including transport hubs.
Mark Rowley, Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer, said the move was precautionary and did not result from any specific intelligence.
“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,” Rowley said in a statement.
Please assist the #Brussels investigation by submitting your images or footage to https://t.co/l9dn1FQr7B pic.twitter.com/7IK7UmHZ2F
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) 22 mars 2016
Islamist militant attacks in London in 2005 killed 52 people.