Streatham terror attack: Terror experts explain what police will do now

Police may have classed the Streatham stabbings as terrorist-related as a “tactic” to be able to deal faster with the incident, a former counter-terrorism national co-ordinator says. 

Nick Aldworth told Sky News the decision unlocks the “maximum possible resources” for detectives following the attack, in which three people were injured in Streatham, south London.

A terror suspect was shot dead by officers moments later.

:: Live updates – Terror attack was Islamist-related, say Sky sources

Mr Aldworth said: “There will be a very fast and urgent analysis going on as to whether this is a lone attacker or there may be other people.

“And they will be bringing the relevant resources to bear on that – both armed and unarmed.

“A lot of that investigative work can be done third-party if you like by way of CCTV and listening to witnesses.”

He continued: “There are a lot of armed response vehicles available in London. There are a lot of specialist firearms resources available in London.

“Those that are not required at the scene will be in a state of heightened readiness and available to be called there or anywhere else they might be required.

“Not forgetting of course that London continues to be London and non-terrorist matters will continue.

“Firearms teams will be required around the capital every day, as they always are.”

Chip Chapman, former head of counter-terrorism at the Ministry of Defence, said another immediate consequence will be a mandatory referral to the police complaints watchdog by the officers who killed the man.

JTAC – the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre – will be looking at the threat level to see if that needs to be raised, he told Sky News.

“It’s worth saying that we went down in late last year from severe to substantial,” he said.

“That was the first time for a number of years.

“Now if this is a lone wolf incident, I suspect that we won’t see a raise in the alert state. If it’s part of a pattern of activity for the future then that could be so.”

Finally, Mr Chapman said, will come the rest of what he called the “normal playbook”.

“You have the reassurance from those in authority, you’ll have more police presumably on the streets in certain areas – that’s the reassurance aspect that goes on after a terrorist attack,” he explained.

(c) Sky News 2020: Streatham terror attack: Terror experts explain what police will do now