U.K.'s May Condemns London Attack

British Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the car and knife attack in London as "sick and depraved," adding that it was an attack on democracy that was doomed to fail. May was speaking in the evening of March 22, after an attacker killed at least four people in what the police called a "terrorist incident."

HOW PUTIN'S MOUTH PIECE RT SEE'S IT -'Ill-Advised Policy': Shadow of Brussels Bombings Falls on London

On Wednesday, a man drove at people with a car in London and then tried to enter the Parliament building armed with a knife, before being shot down by the police. As a result of the incident, four people, including a police officer and the attacker, were killed and 40 others were injured.

London police believe they have identified the perpetrator, but will not name him publicly at this point.

Shortly after the incident, British media reported that the attacker was identified as Abu Izzadeen, born Trevor Brook, known for his links to terrorism. However, ABC reported, citing Izzadeen's lawyer, that he was still in jail and, therefore, could not have committed Wednesday’s carnage.

Wednesday’s attack came exactly a year after the March 22, 2016 explosions in Brussels and the start of an antiterrorist conference in Washington.

Britain in trouble

Wednesday’s attack came 12 years after a series of early morning explosions (three in the London Underground and one on a bus) left 52 people dead. Police later said that the terror attack, the bloodiest in UK history, had been organized by al-Qaeda.

Shortly after, police found a car packed with 16 explosive devices in Luton, a town some 40 kilometers from London. The jihadists also had a bomb-making facility in Leeds and planned a series of nightclub explosions in London.

A series of riots that engulfed northern London in August 2011 laid bare the Muslim migrants’ failure to integrate into British society and the law enforcement’s failure to respond in a timely manner to disturbances caused by angry Muslim youths.

On May 22, 2013 two machete-wielding British citizens of Nigerian descent slaughtered army drummer Lee Rigby in London and on August 2, 2016 a woman was stabbed to death and five people were wounded by a 19-year-old Norwegian of Somali descent.

Symbolic coincidence

Experts were quick to notice the coincidence between Wednesday’s attack in London, the first anniversary of the deadly explosions in Brussels, which killed 32 people, and the start of an international antiterrorist conference in Washington.

It looks like the terrorists sneer at the security measures taken in the West and demonstrate that no place in Europe, no matter how well secured, is immune to their attacks.

The problem is that many Muslims living in Britain embrace radical Islam and hundreds of their men and women have joined the ranks of jihadist militants fighting in Syria and Iraq, RT wrote.

Moreover, the number of “disloyal” Muslims inside Britain could run into tens of thousands.

In February 2017, five teenagers were arrested in London on charges of planning to joint their jihadist brethren fighting in Syria and Iraq and stage a series of terror attacks in the UK.

On March 6, 2017 The Daily Express wrote that during the past four years the British security agencies had prevented 13 terrorist attacks. 

Scotland Yard counter-terror chief Mark Rowley said earlier this month that police are concerned about "everything from fairly simple attacks with knives or using vehicles all the way through to the more complex firearms attacks."

As safe as it may look against the backdrop of deadly terrorist attacks in Paris, Nice, Brussels and Berlin, the United Kingdom could now be in for more tragic events like the one than happened in London on Wednesday.

Echo of ill-advised policy

In Moscow, Sergei Zheleznyak, a member of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, blamed Wednesday’s tragedy in London on what he described as “the terrible echo of the ill-advised migration policy of the majority of European countries used to taking orders from Washington and Brussels.”

How many more people will have to die before politicians in London, Paris, Berlin and Brussels realize the need to jointly fight the terrorist threat?” Zheleznyak wondered.

Alexander Mikhailov, FSB Major-General (Retired) and President of the Russian Anti-Terror Fund agreed, saying that Britain is facing a threat even the entire Western world is unable to deal with alone.

“There is more to this problem than just Daesh propaganda. Europe is actively introducing anti-religious values like a tolerant attitude toward sexual minorities. Local Muslims refuse to accept this and some of them resort to terrorism to vent their anger,” Mikhailov told RT.

Lessons of Belgium attacks learned (almost)

Exactly a year ago, on March 22, 2016, 32 people were killed and dozens were injured in Daesh-organized attacks at Brussels international airport and a city metro station.

The attacks came even though Belgium had raised its terrorism alert to “serious and imminent” following the November 2015 carnage in Paris.

In response, the Belgian government proposed a raft of new counterterrorism laws and regulations. However, some of them, including on the use of additional security measures during a state of emergency, increasing the duration of pretrial detention to 72 hours from 24 now and measures preventing the radicalization of young people in mosques, were either voted down in parliament or have not yet taken effect.

The government did announce a €400 million ($432 mln) investment in terror-prevention measures though, and terror suspects can now have their passports suspended or annulled altogether.

The government also introduced a system of video monitoring of license plates of vehicles, stepped up border controls and banned the sale of SIM-cards for cellphones to people without identification documents.

A new terror attack possible

Still, many of the police officers stationed at Brussels’ Zaventem airport think that attacks like the ones that happened last year could happen again.

“Security at Zaventem is one big flop. Today a man with a bomb will have no problem getting inside,” one of them told the local media on condition of anonymity.

Others admitted that with the existing security system at the airport a new terror attack remained a possibility.

“There are two officers “armed” with a metal detector manning the entrance. They don’t check everyone’s baggage and, besides, they never use metal when making a bomb,” another officer told RT.

Strength in Numbers

Four Typhoon aircraft normally based in Lincolnshire are on call for the Olympics.

The RAF said the aircraft from RAF Coningsby have been stationed at Northolt in Middlesex since Tuesday.

It also said they could be called at short notice to intercept unidentified aircraft around the Olympic sites.

Sqn Ldr Gordon Lovett said: "There is no specific threat to the Games, but we have to be ready for all eventualities."

The RAF said it was the first time fighter aircraft had conducted operations from the airfield since World War II.

It said the fighter jets, which had recently been used in Libya, were one part of a "multi-layered air security plan to protect the London Games

Russian Media - 'Lethal force' at the ready: No-fly zone over London Olympics

It’s official: starting Saturday, Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) may use “lethal force” against any unauthorized craft, including passenger jets, caught violating London airspace during the Olympics.

The no-fly zone is the latest in security measures that have been criticized for putting Londoners at further risk from terrorist attacks rather than protecting them.

The RAF warned that rogue aircraft that stray into the no-fly zone above London could be shot down.

"As a last resort, we will have lethal force as an option," said Air Vice-Marshal Stuart Atha, the Olympics’ air security commander, at a briefing at the RAF Northolt base in West London. He added that such a situation would be a “worst case scenario” and the decision would be made at the “highest level of government.”

The new no-fly restrictions came into force at midnight on Friday and encompass the central London area, the Olympic Park in Stratford and a large part of the Southeast.

While commercial flights will not be affected by the measures, light aircraft, gliders and hot air balloons will be expected to adhere to flight regulations until August 15.

Teams of military personnel will be on constant watch for craft that stray into the restricted zone. If any suspicious planes are sighted, Typhoon fighter jets and helicopters will be deployed to escort them out of restricted air space. Any craft that does not respond to warnings by the RAF may be gunned down.

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The ‘militarization’ of the Games

UK authorities are leaving nothing to chance during the Olympics, deploying 17,000 military personnel throughout the capital for the duration of the Games, 11,800 of which are soldiers.

In spite of widespread protests, the government is also installing surface-to-air missiles flanking the Olympic Park in East London.

London residents reacted with uproar, claiming that they were not properly consulted over the defense plans. They appealed for a judicial review, arguing that their human rights had been violated and voicing concerns that the presence of missile installations could turn their homes into potential terrorist attack targets.

“If it's going to affect our children, our own safety, our security, then there's a potential for people who are evil-minded who may sabotage the situation. I’m a father of young children, so I have reservations about having missiles placed here,” said one tenant to ABC Radio.

However, their court appeal was overturned on the basis that the missiles pose no legitimate threat to residents.

The UK government has spent more than 1.5 billion pounds on safety measures at the Games in the country’s biggest peacetime security operation in history.

US Armed Forces - Olympic Shooters 2012

Missile shield won't work in bad weather

Britain's military has told residents of the upscale apartment development near Olympic Park it is installing a missile battery on top of a tower within their housing complex.

A ring of ground-to-air missile launchers that will be deployed around Lon-don to protect Olympic venues will be unable to locate aircraft in bad weather, experts said Monday.

The Ministry of Defence con-firmed that six sites, including two residential blocks of apartments, were being tested as launch pads for missile systems capable of thwarting airborne attacks. The Starstreak and Rapier systems, which have a range of about six kilometres, would be deployed as a "last resort" to shoot down any low-flying aircraft intending a 9/11-style suicide mission at one of the Olympic venues.

But experts have claimed the systems are useless in poor weather as they rely on the operator being able to see the target. Nick Brown, editor-in-chief of Jane's International Defence Review, said: "The missiles are laser-guided, steered onto their target by the soldier keeping his sight on an aircraft.

"So if the soldier can't see an aircraft, they can't hit it. As a result, the missiles can be badly affected by weather and would also not be able to engage tar-gets 'masked' by buildings."

People living close to where the missiles are to be housed have also expressed concern about the dangers of using such weapons in built-up areas.

The systems will be tested in the coming days as part of a military exercise organized to check security preparations, although no test missiles will be fired. Six sites have been identified as potential locations for the missile launchers, including two in east London; an apartment block overlooking the Olympic stadium in Bow and a 16-storey residential tower block in Walthamstow.

Gen. Sir Nick Parker, who is in charge of all military aspects of Olympic security, said the aim was to provide an "effective layered plan that provides a proper deterrent".

A military source said: "Missile systems are part of a much wider layered defence system including RAF radar facilities, Typhoon aircraft, Royal Navy Sea King helicopters and other helicopters with snipers, so it is not something we are too concerned about."

RAF Typhoon jets arrive in London to test Olympic security

Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have arrived at an airbase in London for a large-scale Olympic security exercise.

The aircraft will be based at RAF Northolt, taking part in nine days of training over London and the home counties until 10 May, as part of operation Exercise Olympic Guardian.

It is the first time fighter jets have been stationed at the historic west London site since WWII.

But anti-military campaigners warn the jets will create a "climate of fear".

The Typhoon jets, which can travel at up to 1,370 miles per hour, will put pilots through their paces, testing security in the skies ahead of their vital role during the 2012 Olympic Games, which start in July.

Military chiefs have alerted residents in south-east England about the operation, warning that they will notice an increase in often loud air activity, especially on 4 and 5 May.

Bringing 'real fear'

Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond said: "Whilst there is no specific threat to the Games, we have to be ready to assist in delivering a safe and secure Olympics for all to enjoy."

He said the Typhoon operation at RAF Northolt underlined the "commitment of the Ministry of Defence and our armed forces to keeping the public safe at a time when the world will be watching us".

But the Stop the War Coalition has criticised the move as "unacceptable", arguing that heavy military activity in the capital will cause unnecessary fear.

Lindsey German of the campaign group said ordinary people should not be forced to put up with the measures.

"Far from safeguarding Londoners as they go about their daily lives, they will bring a real fear of explosions and the prospect of these places becoming a target for terrorist attack."

"We are told by the Government that the war in Afghanistan is being fought so that we don't have to fight on the streets of London", she said.

"These manoeuvres give the lie to that, and show that the war has made Britain a more dangerous place."

Air Vice-Marshal Stuart Atha, air component commander for Olympics air security, said the training was "essential" and in line with "preparations for most Olympics" in recent years.

"What we have is just prudent precautionary measures in place in the unlikely event that a threat from the air does manifest itself."

He denied fighter aircraft would be patrolling the skies as a matter of course throughout the summer, adding the operation "would not set a precedent for any sort of enduring military commitment" in the area.

"This is a once in a generation event and I think the UK public would expect us to be prepared for this", he said.

'Strong support'

However, he added the MoD would try to keep the amount of flying to a minimum, balancing the need to reduce disturbance with the key aim of ensuring forces are "ready for their important role delivering air security for the Olympics".

"We hope that people will understand the need for this very important training, and we thank them for their continued strong support", he said.

Exercise Olympic Guardian is taking place on land, sea and air in the London and Weymouth areas between 2 May and 10 May.

The security operations will also include:

Royal Navy Sea King helicopters based at RAF Northolt

RAF Puma helicopters and Royal Navy airborne early warning helicopters stationed at a Territorial Army centre in Ilford, east London

The berthing of HMS Ocean at Greenwich, with a number of Royal Navy Lynx helicopters on board

The deployment of HMS Bulwark and other ships to Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour

The operation of fast jets and helicopters over Greater London and the Home Counties

13,500 military personnel will be involved in protecting the games

It was also recently revealed that surface-to-air missiles could be deployed at six sites in London during the games.

Last month, a sonic boom from two Typhoon aircraft that were responding to an emergency signal was reported to have been heard in Bath, Coventry and Oxford.