On 7 July 2005, four bombs exploded across London at Aldgate Station, Edgware Road, King’s Cross/Russell Square and Tavistock Square, killing 52 people and injuring around 800.
The 7/7 bombings prompted huge changes in counterterrorism delivery in London and across the country. Notably, the attacks led to better intelligence-sharing within individual organisations and partner agencies.
It is responsible for leading counterterrorism investigations in London, as well as the work of the Prevent programme in the capital, which focuses on tackling radicalisation.
Special branch, SO12, dealt with intelligence, and SO13, the anti-terrorist branch, was responsible for investigations; 7/7 highlighted these two separate commands needed to be working closer together, so they were merged under the SO15 banner.
Greater collaboration
In the aftermath of the attacks, there was a emphasis closer working between intelligence agencies – MI5, MI6 and GCHQ – as well as police forces around the country.
The 7/7 bombings ‘altered the course of UK security policy’, Jessica White, acting director of terrorism and conflict studies at the Royal United Services Institute, said (Photo: Edmond Terakopian/PA)“We have enhanced partnership working through the London Resilience Team and with Transport for London, to ensure our preparedness in an emergency response,” he said.
Although the 7/7 bombings took place in the capital, the attackers came from outside of London. As a result, intelligence services realised the need for better regional links.
Stronger links between police and partner agencies such as MI5 were also fostered, a legacy that continues to this day.
Counterterrorism agencies brought under one roof
Several of the 7/7 attackers were known to intelligence services prior to the attacks. Ringleader Mohammed Sidique Khan was one of two who had been under surveillance, but he was not assessed as being a priority for investigation.
In its 2012 response, the government said security services had implemented more detailed recording of the decisions made to prioritise investigations and relevant individuals, and that their systems and technologies for the handling of photographs had improved significantly by 2011.
Shifts in UK security policy and strategy
Jessica White, acting director of terrorism and conflict studies at the Royal United Services Institute, said the bombings “not only took and devastated lives but altered the course of UK security policy”.
The 7/7 bombings took the lives of 52 people and injured around 800 others (Photo: In Pictures Ltd./Corbis via Getty Images)“While this was not the first enduring threat of terrorism the UK has faced, there was a collective acceptance after 7/7 of counterterrorism measures becoming a constant daily presence. The UK’s Contest grew to being considered a model counterterrorism strategy globally.”
But the UK’s terror watchdog, Jonathan Hall KC, has warned that current methods used by extremists to influence potential recruits are “a million miles” from the tactics used in the run up to 2005 and society is “struggling” to work out the correct response.
More CCTV on public transport
In the five years after 7/7, the number of CCTV cameras on the Tube increased from 8,500 to 12,000, the then London Underground managing director Mike Brown said.
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The LATC said digital radio, to replace the old analogue systems, would be crucial in the event of a future emergency, and in its report it delivered a number of recommendations around improving underground communications.
Work with Muslim communities
Former Met Police chief superintendent Dal Babu said that since 7/7 the Met had worked to make progress on improving Muslim representation within counterterrorism commands and building trust and confidence in the community.
He said he told senior leadership “given where the threat was coming from that it was really important to have people who understood the issues and that was a huge gap in counterterrorism across the country”.
“Counterterrorism commands are much more representative of different communities, so I think in that respect there’s a better understanding of these issues.”
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