Shawn Helton
21st Century Wire
London once again becomes a target of a purported terror event. This time, were told multiple attacks have occurred simultaneously, happening less than two weeks after Manchester’s known wolf arena bombing. Only time will tell if the latest attacks on London Bridge and the Borough Market area, will also turn out to be the work of known wolf terrorists watched by British security.
RT News reports:
“London police confirm they are dealing with three “incidents” in the city center on Saturday evening: a vehicle collision with pedestrians on London Bridge, reported stabbings in the Borough Market area and a third incident in Vauxhall.”
*UPDATE* – According to Met Police head Cressida Dick, 7 people are dead and 3 suspects have been shot and killed by police. Early reports suggested this was a ‘triple terror attack’ in London but new reports have amended the initial reports. Here’s a screenshot from the UK’s Telegraph…
Though many are still shocked in the wake of the London Bridge attacks – key questions will undoubtedly emerge following this latest act of terror in the West.
‘LONDON TERROR’ – What’s truly behind this latest terror tragedy? (Photo Illustration 21WIRE’s Shawn Helton)
The new London attacks, come on the heels of the UK’s 2017 general election on June 8th, a race which has tightened dramatically since the Manchester Arena attack. Reuters reports the latest election details in the aftermath of yet another terror incident:
“British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives have a lead of just one percentage point over the opposition Labour Party ahead of the June 8 election, according to a Survation poll conducted for the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
The poll showed said May’s lead had fallen sharply from a lead of 12 percentage points in the previous Survation/Mail on Sunday poll published on May 21.
In the new poll, support for the Conservatives stood at 40 percent, down six percentage points and Labour were on 39 percent, up five points.”
Will this sudden terror attack give the Conservative Party a bounce in the polls only days ahead of the General Election?
As it turns out, this morning Prime Minister Theresa May announced that, once again, General Election national campaigning has been suspended. May made the exact same announcement immediately after the Manchester Bombing two weeks ago.
‘SHELTER IN PLACE’ – Police order patrons to hide in place after multiple attacks. (Image Source: cnn)
The following video clip of the police ordering London Bridge bar patrons to ‘shelter in place’ was reposted on Twitter by @ChetCannon:
A white van didn't mow down people on the #londonbridge, a terrorist driving a white van did. Wake up!!!pic.twitter.com/4SlrXzbi6P
— Chet Cannon (@Chet_Cannon) June 3, 2017
The UK’s Telegraph reported the following details as there are now believed to be seven people killed along with another 48 injured in a dual attack that saw an incredible response as police arrived within 2 minutes:
“Eyewitnesses spoke of there being two or three masked men, who got out of the van and started attacking people with knives.
A second incident is believed to have taken place at the Borough Bistro, in Borough Market. Eyewitnesses have told of seeing a man being stabbed by someone wearing a red hoody. The attacker then walked calmly away, and gunshots were heard near the Brindisi tapas restaurant.
The BBC is reporting that a security guard who works across multiple bars and pubs in Borough Market claims to have seen a man with a canister strapped to his abdomen. Stressing that the reports were unverified, the news channel claims the man saw the attackers after receiving a call from a colleague in another bar who said people had been stabbed.
The eyewitness described people running away screaming from three men, one wearing a red and black top. He claimed one man had a canister taped to his abdomen. The man and his colleagues tried to throw chairs at the three attackers, who were going in and out of different bars, before helping to evacuate the area.
Drinkers inside a pub have told of the police rushing in, and telling everyone to get on the ground. They were then told to run away from the area.”
Armed police combed nearby London Underground station (possibly Bank station). WATCH:
#LondonBridge Search is still going on, police are now looking im underground facilities. pic.twitter.com/JLA88xSCHm
— Sandeep (@sandeep_7847) June 3, 2017
The Telegraph also added the following:
“A British Transport Police (BTP) officer was stabbed in the face as he responded to the terrorist incident at London Bridge.
Emergency services rushed to the scene following reports of a vehicle ploughing into pedestrians around London Bridge and stabbings at Borough Market shortly after 10pm.
The BTP officer, who was on duty, was one of the first on the scene after he responded to calls for help from the public, the force said.
A spokeswoman said it was believed he was targeted by one of the three attackers who were later shot dead by police.”
The Independent describes the timeline of events:
10.08pm: Police are called to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge. It is initially unclear whether the van deliberately drove into people but the similarities with the Westminster Bridge terror attack are obvious and armed police are on the scene.
10.30pm: Witness accounts emerge of the van driving into a crowd of people at “about 50mph”, leaving at least six casualties on the ground. BBC journalist Holly Jones tells how she narrowly avoided being hit, jumping out of the way of the van. There are unconfirmed reports of people being stabbed and shots being fired.
10.40pm: Police say they are dealing with a major incident and warn people to stay away from the area.
11.15pm: Scotland Yard says it is dealing with a second serious incident in the nearby Borough Market. Three men carrying large knives are seen attacking passersby in the street. People in restaurants reportedly try to fight off the attackers with chairs. Armed and unarmed officers flood the area, telling some people to leave. Video footage in a restaurant in the area shows police telling diners to get down on the floor. Gunshots are heard.
11.30pm: A police officer setting up a cordon tells people to move away from the area and stop filming. Sounding emotional, she says “people have died”.
11.45pm: Police say they are searching for three men suspected of carrying out the attacks.
11.50pm: A third incident is reported in Vauxhall, but police later say this is believed to be an unrelated stabbing.
11.55pm: British Transport Police confirm there have been “multiple casualties”.
12.10am: Officials say Theresa May is travelling to Downing Street for briefing from security officials and will chair a meeting of the the emergency Cobra committee later on Sunday. She says the incidents are being treated as “potential” acts of terror and praises the emergency services.
12.25am: Both the incidents at London Bridge and Borough Market are declared “terrorist incidents” by police.
1.30am: Three loud bangs are heard in the Borough Market area.
1.50am: A photograph shows two men lying on the ground after being shot by police. One had canisters of some kind strapped to his body.
4am: Police say six people were killed before three suspects were shot dead by armed police. The canisters appeared to be “hoax” suicide bombs. Thirty people are being treated in hospitals around London.”
Interestingly, Special Air Service (SAS) counter terrorism team landed on London Bridge in the aftermath of the attack and had been “rehearsing terror scenarios,” that included taking out rampaging jihadis, according a Daily Mail report.
The Telegrapgh expanded on the SAS report:
The elite SAS unit nicknamed ‘Blue Thunder’ is understood to have arrived after the attack had been ended by armed police, and sources said they played no role in confronting the three terrorists.
However a small number of special forces soldiers will remain forward deployed in the capital to support police if needed, sources said.”
Police conducted a controlled detonation of explosives near the London Bridge area…
NOTE: In this same area, London Bridge, was placed on lockdown and the area evacuated back on March 7th – due to a stolen car found abandoned and left yards away from the famous Shard Building.
“Dozens of officers were deployed to the scene along with the fire service and a bomb disposal robot over the ‘suspicious vehicle’.”
“The bridge was closed both ways, while the railway station was also closed as a precaution and people were warned to stay away from windows.”
Additional eyewitness testimony reportedly states that the three masked men believed to be the alleged attackers have been shot, while seen outside a pub with ‘hoax suicide vests’ on.
Cui bono: Who Benefits?
As previously mentioned, the event may affect election polling results – possibly benefiting the ruling Conservative government who were plummeting in the polls over the last week – amazingly, only 4 days from the scheduled voting day on June 8th.
It is undeniable that because of this event, on the heals of both Manchester and Westminster terror events, the Met Police have accumulated more power in terms of their role in helping to manage “national security.” Likewise, these events may be used to devolve more power and clout to the British Intelligence Services.
If this were indeed an ‘ISIS Attack,’ it is hard to see how ISIS/ISIL would benefit, other than hasten its own demise by baiting increased airstrikes on Syria by NATO member states. The Trump Administration could easily seize on events in London to call for increased “Anti-ISIS” operations in Syria and Libya, but it should be pointed out that since this latest anti-ISIS US Coalition began in 2014, US-led efforts have had very little effect on the spread of takfiri militants in the Middle East. This leaves the only real beneficiary here as being the Pentagon and the wider military industrial complex itself.
As far as the attackers themselves, we are told that they were all shot dead by police – so no benefit there. On top this, the fact remains that this incident is now being used by anti-Muslim advocates as proof of a ‘clash of civilizations,’ followed by calls for a UK police state mass detention and deportation of UK Muslims:
Britain does not stand united. Close the borders. Round up the watch list. Incarcerate the lot. ENOUGH #LondonBridge https://t.co/ZlVXZmmYnm
— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) June 3, 2017
QUESTION: Why would terrorists be outfitted with fake ‘hoax suicide bomb vests,’ if their objective was mass casualties?
This aspect will most likely be swept aside, as mainstream media might suggest that the alleged attackers could not obtain real explosives – but this doesn’t adequately explain why they were wearing fake suicide vests.
In less than a few hours, a “series of coordinated terror attacks” has been declared by MET police.
No forensic review or careful examination of a crime scene, yet again…
QUESTION: Will the three masked London attackers have ties to ISIS or al-Qaeda – while also maintaining a link to British security services as seen in other ‘Known Wolf’ cases?
As with previous high-profile ‘terror’ events, the mainstream media and authorities have been quick to assign a motive and categorize the event as a “terrorist attack.” The official narrative is that the perpetrators were ‘inspired by ISIS’ and were following appeals by so-called ‘Islamic State’ leaders on the internet to use the Islamic holy month of Ramadan to carry out random attacks against non-Muslims in London.
Here’s a screenshot from NDTV (photo by Gabriele Sciotto) depicting authorities supposedly moving in to ‘neutralize’ the alleged London attackers nearby the Wheatsheaf pub…
The police and media were quick to announce late last night that the security operation was being led by the Met Police, and not the Intelligence agencies. This is important to note because immediately after the Manchester Bombing, the UK government launched Operation Temperer, where PM May, on the “advice of JTAC,” went ahead and deployed British military troops on the streets – but working under the command of police to provide a “static armed guard” at key locations.” This set a precedent for the UK which signals a move away from the normal separation of civil police and the military – and moving towards a continental European model of a militarized police, as in France and other countries. Interestingly, the troops were withdrawn after only a few days, perhaps because of accusations that May was nudging country towards Martial Law. The government claimed that this was because the JTAC ‘Threat Level’ had been reduced from “critical” down to “severe.”
The NY Times outlined how the new London attacks might prompt future security and internet crackdowns by UK officials, while at least one suspect was identified:
“Mrs. May also called for a global effort to “regulate cyberspace,” something that is likely to prove difficult, and said that the London attack was not connected to a suicide bombing at a pop concert in Manchester, England, last month that killed 22 people.
While none of the assailants in Saturday’s attack were identified, the counterterrorism police conducted a raid Sunday in Barking, in east London, in connection with the assault and made 12 arrests. Searches there continued, the police said, suggesting that they had identified at least one assailant.”
POST-MANCHESTER: In a ‘show of force’ Theresa May placed troops on the streets of Britain, but under the command of the Met Police.
It’s also important to remember that prior to the Manchester and Parliament Square attacks, mass casualty drills had been held and in one case, Met Police rehearsed a ‘terrifyingly realistic‘ drill on the River Thames.
As we’ve mentioned at 21WIRE numerous times in recent years, many political leaders and media operatives bang the drums of security over so-called terror ‘sleeper cells’ (see the the London Boys sleeper cell) hiding in a nation near you – none of them acknowledge the historical fact that they themselves have also helped to harbor, grow, foment and radicalize individuals through counter-terrorism operations for decades.
Another interesting aspect to this recent case, is the insertion of the radical preacher Anjem Choudary in media reports, a longtime ‘known wolf’ to security services, who had been protected by MI5 according to Scotland Yard – even though he was connected to over a dozen terror plots since 2001. Though Choudary is not officially linked to this latest terror crime in London, the fact that his name is being mentioned by outlets such as the NY Times gives one concern. Choudary was sentenced to five years and six months in prison in 2016 for his support for ISIS but his dark legacy in the UK lives on.
When we learn who will ultimately “claim responsibility” for the latest attacks in London – it’s worth reviewing a set of patterns often seen in the aftermath of these types of events:
– Suspects have alleged connections to terror or terror networks (potentially security as well).
– Multiple suspects reportedly have ‘radicalized’ views on religion, feeding a prepackaged media narrative which may conflict with other details about said individuals.
– Sensational media projections that bring in additional story lines for dramatic effect.
– A ‘presumed’ terror motive is publicly accepted with vague evidence provided.
– Politicians, law enforcement and media call the incident a ‘terror attack’ before all evidence has been reviewed, with predictable calls for increased security.
*UPDATE* – Predictably, we’re told through social media, that the “AMAQ News Agency” claiming to be ‘the media arm of ISIS’ has claimed credit for the London Bridge attacks…
The threat intelligence firm Flashpoint has once again assumed a lead public relations role in the media after the London terror event – just as they did following the highly suspicious Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando in June of 2016, the dubious DDoS attack on America and the sordid Emmanuel Macron email leaks prior to the 2017 French election.
Here’s a YouTube clip featuring FOX News coverage of the attacks, which also includes an interview with an eyewitness discussing the shelter in place scenario which took place after the London terror event…
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QUESTION: Will the London attacks increase racial and ethnic tensions in the West, while also pushing the public into accepting a more direct military intervention in Syria – if so, who benefits the most from this latest attack?
One more deeply disturbing development to consider, was the recent “government-sponsored inquiry into the sources of funding for Islamist militant groups operating in the UK.” The true nature of the findings, particularly those involving Saudi Arabia, may be hidden forever according to UK’s Home Office due to the ‘sensitive’ information they contain.
Until the UK can be honest with what they know regarding the funding of terror, how can they begin to address the problem terrorism presents in the future…
SEE ALSO: SHADES OF GLADIO? London Attacker ‘Known’ to MI5 – Police Terror Drill Days Before
SEE ALSO: BERLIN’S KNOWN WOLF: Prior Criminal Plot, Watched Before Christmas Attack – Mirroring Nice Attack
SEE ALSO: NICE MASSACRE: Another ‘Known Wolf’ Spawned From Gladio’s Cointelpro Litter
READ MORE WAR ON TERROR NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire War On Terror
READ MORE LONDON ATTACK NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire LONDON ATTACK Files
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Author Shawn Helton is an Associate Editor of 21st Century Wire, as well as an independent media forensic analyst specializing in criminal investigations and analyzing media coverage of terrorist events and theatres of war.
READ MORE LONDON ATTACK NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire LONDON ATTACK Files
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