The United Kingdom has raised its international terrorism threat level from severe to critical, meaning that another attack could be imminent after a bomb exploded on a subway train in London, injuring dozens of people.
The decision was made on Friday evening by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center (JTAC), which is responsible for setting the threat level on the basis of available intelligence. “This means that their assessment is that a further attack may be imminent,” Prime Minister Theresa May said.
Critical is the highest level on the five-step scale of threat levels.
The prime minister said soldiers would be deployed to replace police officers who are on guard duty at certain protected sites. “The public will see more armed police on the transport network and on our streets, providing extra protection,” she said.
May added: “The public should go about their business in the normal way and, as usual, be vigil and cooperate with the police. I said earlier that terrorism is a great challenge of our times but, by standing together, we will defeat it.”
Specific details about the terror threat were not immediately available, but a manhunt is continuing for those responsible for Friday morning’s attack on a subway train in west London. At least 29 people were injured when a bomb went off on a train, although the device failed to fully detonate.
The Islamic State group (ISIS) claimed responsible for the attack, claiming that multiple “soldiers of the Caliphate” were involved in planting the bomb. “What is coming is more devastating and bitter, Allah permitting,” the group said in a statement.
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