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29 June 2007
Police are investigating two explosive devices found in London on Friday.
Metropolitan Police and counter-terrorism specialists are investigating two apparent explosive devices found inside cars in central London.
The first device was found in a Mercedes outside a nightclub on Haymarket early Friday morning. Police said a second device was found in another Mercedes hours after the car had been given a parking ticket in Cockspur Street, impounded and towed to an underground lot near Park Lane.
Police said the devices found in both cars were similar, viable and 'clearly linked'.
At a news conference on Friday evening, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command, said the discovery of the second device was troubling.
DAC Clarke said the devices in both cars included 'a considerable amount of fuel and gas canisters' as well as 'a substantial quantity' of nails.
Describing the bomb found in the car on Haymarket, DAC Clarke said: 'It is obvious that if the device had detonated there could have been serious injury or loss of life.'
Late Friday night, both Haymarket and Park Lane - which had been closed for most of the day - were re-opened to traffic.
Police appeal
Police are appealing for anybody who saw a blue Mercedes parked on Cockspur Street late Thursday and early Friday to call the confidential anti-terrorist hotline number: 0800 789 321.
Give investigators time to work
Earlier Friday, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith asked for the press and the public to give investigators time to do the work at hand.
'What I think is very important is that the public remain vigilant at all times,' the Home Secretary said. 'Obviously the police are investigating, and I think we should allow them to get on with that without undue speculation.'
She verified that the device was 'a potentially viable explosive device' and said that, 'had it detonated it could have caused considerable loss of life.'
'As the government, the police, and the security services have made clear, and as the prime minister reiterated this morning at Cabinet, we're currently facing the most serious and sustained threat to our security from international terrorism,' the Home Secretary said.
Call for the public to remain vigilant
Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for the public to go about their business as usual, but also to remain vigilant in the coming days.
'The first duty of the government is the security of the people and, as the police and security services have said on so many occasions, we face a serious and continuous threat to our country,' Mr Brown said.
'We should allow the police to investigate this incident and then report to us. But this incident does recall the need for us to be vigilant at all times, and the public to be alert at any potential incidents.'
For more information, visit the Metropolitan Police website (new window).
