Daily Times

British Prime Minister Theresa May commemorated the 10th death anniversary of Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, killed in a terrorist attack in December 2007.

She reminded world leaders and delegates gathered, Bhutto, “was murdered for standing up for democracy, murdered for espousing tolerance, and murdered for being a woman.”

Recognising Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, she said, “The country has suffered more than most at the hands of terrorists.” May’s tribute was delivered almost a week after the UK was rocked by its fifth terrorist attack – the latest in a series of UK attacks this year; an explosion on a London train.

Last week, a fireball ripped through a busy morning train packed with commuters, students and children after a bomb exploded. Thirty people were injured, some suffered burns others sustained minor injuries as people trampled over one another to escape the chaos that ensued.

CCTV footage showed a man carrying a Lidl plastic shopping bag into the train station. Ninety minutes later a bomb built inside a plastic bucket and placed into a similar plastic bag, partly detonated on a train carriage shortly after the train pulled into Parsons Green station, West London.

Bomb disposal experts said the photographs of the remains of the bomb showed – although the initial charge exploded, it failed to detonate the main charge. On Friday 18-yearl-old, Ahmad Hassan, appeared in court charged with attempted murder, causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury in connection to the West London attack. He was arrested in the port of Dover, UK a day after the explosion. Hassan spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address at Westminster magistrate’s court. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on October 13.

Hassan was one of the two refugees fostered by the same couple in Surrey arrested over the attempted bombing. The second man Yahyah Farroukh was released without charge.

Police said two other men arrested, a 48-year-old detained in Newport, Wales and a 17-year-old arrested in South London, were also released with no further action.

Two men aged 25 and 30 are still being held under the Terrorism Act in connection with the bombing.

Paul Walker, 34, lives next door to the man, 17, arrested in South London, described the night of the police raid he was woken by “banging on the door, loud voices and police shouting”. He said, “The police said they were acting on intelligence.” Charlie Nothcott 29, another neighbour on the street said, “He was a really friendly chap and never seemed threatening.”

Head of Scotland Yard’s counter -terrorism command, Commander Dean Haydon said, “This continues to be a fast moving investigation. A significant amount of activity has taken place since the attack on Friday.”

Published in Daily Times, September 24^th 2017.