Britain just 'days away' from terror plot, says Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe

 
Terror warning: Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe (Picture: Jeremy Selwyn)
Jeremy Selwyn
Standard Reporter18 December 2014
WEST END FINAL

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Britain has been just days away from being hit by a terror plot, according to Scotland Yard's chief.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe also admitted it was "very difficult to guard against" a similar incident to the scenes at the Sydney café this week.

Three people died, including hostage-taker Man Horan Monis, following the stand off at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in the Australian city's busy financial and legal district.

Sir Bernard said police had come "within days" of foiling terror attacks on British soil and had tackled five plots in the last four months.

He told LBC: "In terms of plots over this last four months really it's probably five. And we've arrested I think it's about 35 people.

"Have we got enough resources? Well we've asked the Government for more help. We talked right at the beginning about the fact we are losing money but in this areas we've got to invest.

"So we've asked for £50 million for across the country and we're waiting for an answer on that.

"We need it. It's very clear that this type of operation, we call it burning the resources where it means you use lots of people."

Asked if there was anyone in Britain as dangerous as the hostage-taker Man Horan Monis, he replied: "There will be, there's no doubt. I mean, you know, you look at what happened to Lee Rigby. I mean, there are people out there who are dangerous, and that's why we keep arresting them.

"Because we need to stop them hurting people. And they're getting, you know, the operations that we talked about earlier, they've been very close to going and hurting somebody, badly, or killing them."

Monis took 17 people hostage inside a Sydney city centre cafe on Monday and the siege ended in a barrage of gunfire when police rushed in to free the captives.

Sir Bernard added: "It's clear you've got a radicalised individual, who had a weapon, and took many people hostage. That is a terrifying prospect, and very difficult to guard against."

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