The Latest: London attack highlights need to train US agents

A homemade bomb planted in a rush-hour subway car injured 29 people in London on Friday. It has sparked a huge manhunt for the perpetrators of what police said was the fourth terrorist attack in the British capital this year.

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9:10 p.m.

London police say they are making “good progress” in the investigation into the subway bombing.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said Friday night that the public should be reassured and that more police and troops will be on the streets.

He says “we are only aware of one device,” referring to the bomb that partially detonated Friday morning on a subway train at the Parsons Green station in southwest London.

Rowley says “we have remnants of that device. We are chasing down suspects.” He refused to provide further details about the bomb, saying an investigation is underway.

Rowley said police are combing through closed circuit TV film and other data seeking information on the suspected bomber and on possible accomplices.

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8:50 p.m.

British officials have raised the country’s terrorism threat level to “critical’ — meaning another attack is expected shortly.

Prime Minister Theresa May acted on the recommendation of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center after the subway train bombing attack Friday at the Parsons Green station in southwest London. The analysis includes security services, police and government agencies.

The threat was raised from “severe” to “critical” — its highest possible level.

A manhunt is under way after the improvised explosive device was detonated on a crowded subway car, injuring at least 29 people.

May said military troops would augment the police presence in a “proportionate and sensible step.”

8:35 p.m.

The Islamic State group is claiming that the London subway explosion was carried out by an affiliated unit.

The claim was posted Friday on channels affiliated with the extremist group.

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6:15 p.m.

British authorities say the number of people treated at hospitals after the bombing on the London Underground subway has risen to 29.

The National Health Service says 21 people are being treated and eight others have already been discharged. The London Ambulance Service says it took 19 patients to hospitals, most with minor injuries. The others went in themselves.

Police say most of those injured by an improvised explosive device on Friday suffered from flash burns. They say there have been no reports of serious life-threatening injuries.

The device burst into flames aboard a train at the Parsons Green station during the morning rush hour. London police are conducting a wide manhunt for the person or persons responsible.

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6:05 p.m.

Britain’s prime minister says U.S. President Donald Trump has called to offer his condolences over the subway attack.

Downing Street said in a statement that Trump telephoned Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss the “cowardly” rush-hour bombing attack Friday on a London subway train.

Officials say the two also talked about North Korea’s latest missile test.

Earlier, May said speculation about the London subway bomber is unhelpful, after Trump suggested in a tweet that London police missed an opportunity to prevent it.

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4:45 p.m.

Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have tweeted their support for the people of London in response to the attack on a subway train.

Netanyahu tweeted “We stand with PM (Theresa) May and the people of Britain in our common fight against the forces of terror.”

Israel’s ambassador to London, Mark Regev, wrote that “Israel stands in solidarity with the people of London. Our thoughts are with #ParsonsGreen victims & their families at this difficult time.”

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, referring to the TLV in LDN festival, tweeted that “Last week we brought love & culture to London. Today terrorists sent message of hate. Israel & UK stand together against #terror.”

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4:25 p.m.

The New York Police Department says it’s moved extra officers, bomb-detection dogs and heavy weapons teams into the city’s transit system as a precaution following the London subway bombing.

Department spokesman J. Peter Donald said Friday that the NYPD also is monitoring intelligence through a joint terrorism task force.

Commissioner James O’Neill said Friday there’ve been no direct threats to New York City — but he says people should always be vigilant and aware of their surroundings.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, says he’s directed state law enforcement to increase transportation security at airports, bridges, tunnels and mass transit systems across New York.

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3:50 p.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May says speculation about the London subway bomb is unhelpful, after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that London police missed an opportunity to prevent it.

Trump tweeted that the bombing was “another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!”

Asked about Trump’s comments, May said “I never think it’s helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation.”

London police have declined to comment on Trump’s tweets. A manhunt is on to find those behind the bombing that wounded 22 people on a Friday morning rush-hour subway train.

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2:55 p.m.

Prime Minister Theresa May says Britain’s official threat level from terrorism remains at “severe,” meaning an attack is highly likely, and has not been raised in the wake of the London subway bombing.

After chairing a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, May said the threat level was not being raised to “critical,” which would mean an attack is imminent.

She says that decision will be kept under review. The threat level was briefly raised to critical after the May 22 suicide bombing at Manchester Arena.

Authorities say 22 people were injured when an improvised bomb exploded aboard a subway train during Friday’s rush hour. Most of the victims suffered flash burns, and none was seriously hurt.

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2:45 p.m.

Terrorism analyst Magnus Ranstorp with the Swedish Defence University says Londoners have been very fortunate because the bomb placed on a subway appears not to have fully detonated.

After studying photos of the device, he said Friday the bomb had only “partially” burned since much of the device and its casing remained intact. He said that will make it easy for police and security services to determine what chemicals and methods were used to make the bomb.

He says “they were really lucky with this one, it could have really become much worse.”

He said the bomber chose to conceal the device in a bucket and a plastic shopping bag rather than a backpack. He also says, from the photos, “it seems that this was hastily put together. Probably not very well mixed together.”

In all, 22 people were wounded by the bomb on Friday.

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1:45 p.m.

German and French leaders say the bomb attack on a London subway train only strengthens their determination to increase international co-operation in fighting terrorism.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in Berlin on Friday: “Our thoughts are of course with the wounded, our thoughts are with the British population.”

Philippe said the London bomb and an attempt early Friday by a knife-wielding assailant to attack a soldier at a Paris subway interchange “show how much we collectively, in France, Britain and also in Germany, face a major threat.”

He added “we must find answers at national level and all together … to give our fellow citizens the greatest possible security,” including intelligence co-operation.

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1:30 p.m.

British police say no one has been arrested in connection with a bombing on a London subway train, but hundreds of detectives are at work trying to hunt down the perpetrator or perpetrators.

The Metropolitan Police force says police “are making fast-time inquiries to establish who was responsible and are working closely with the security services.”

Counterterrorism policing chief Mark Rowley says hundreds of detectives are looking at surveillance camera footage, carrying out forensic work and speaking to witnesses.

Police say 22 people were wounded Friday, mostly with burns, when an improvised explosive device exploded on a train at London’s Parsons Green station. Emergency workers say none of the injuries is believed to be life-threatening.

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12:35 p.m.

Health officials say the number of people injured in the London subway bombing has risen to 22.

Eighteen were taken to hospitals by ambulance, and four more presented themselves at hospitals.

None of the injuries is thought to be serious or life-threatening.

The National Health Service says the patients are being treated at four London hospitals and clinics.

Police say the blast at Parsons Green station was caused by an improvised explosive device.

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12 noon

U.S. President Donald Trump is calling a fire at a London subway station another attack “by a loser terrorist” and suggesting police there may have missed an opportunity to prevent it. He also is suggesting that the government cut off internet access to extremist groups.

Trump tweeted Friday: “Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!”

He later added: “Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!”

The London Ambulance Service says 18 people have been taken to hospitals with injuries, not thought to be life-threatening

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11:50 a.m.

Police say the fire on a London subway train was caused by the detonation of an improvised explosive device.

Police say it was a terrorist incident and is being handled by the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism unit.

Police said there were 18 people injured, with most suffering flash burns.

There will be an increased police presence on London as the incident is investigated.

Police did not provide details on any suspects.

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11:25 a.m.

The London Ambulance Service says 18 people have been taken to hospitals after a fire at a subway station that police are calling a terrorist attack.

The ambulance service says none of the injuries is thought to be serious or life-threatening.

Passengers reported seeing people with burns to their faces and bodies after the fire on a Tube train at Parsons Green station.

The ambulance service says it was called at 8:30 a.m. Friday and the first crews were on the scene within five minutes.

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11:05 a.m.

The mayor of London says the city “will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism.”

Sadiq Khan says the city “utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life.”

He says Londoners should remain “calm and vigilant” after a fire on a subway train that police are calling a terrorism incident.

London has been targeted by attackers several times this year, with vehicle attacks near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London.

Khan says he will be attending a meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency committee with Prime Minister Theresa May later.

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10:55 a.m.

Chris Wildish, who was on London subway train where a fire occurred that is being treated as terrorism, said he saw “a massive flash of flames” that reached up to the ceiling of the train and then the air was filled with the smell of chemicals. Wildish told Sky News that many of the passengers were schoolchildren, who were knocked around by people trying to get away from the fire.

Wildish said he saw several burned passengers and later, during evacuation of the station, caught sight of a bucket still in flames.

Footage filmed from the platform through the train door as people were evacuated shows flames licking from the bucket, which is inside a plastic shopping bag. “That bag’s on fire,” a woman exclaims, before a London Underground staff member orders commuters to get away from the carriage to the end of the platform.

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10:45 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee in response to a subway fire that police have called a terrorist incident.

May tweeted Friday: “My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident.”

Police say several people have been injured in the rush-hour incident on a Tube train at Parsons Green station in west London.

Britain’s official threat level from terrorism stands at “severe,” the second-highest rung on a five-point scale, meaning an attack is highly likely.

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10:25 a.m.

London’s Metropolitan Police says a fire on the London subway has been declared a “terrorist incident.”

The force says counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation into the incident at Parsons Green station, where “a number” of people have been injured.

Passengers reported an explosion in a carriage of the train shortly after 8 a.m., during the morning rush hour. Several people appeared to have burn injuries.

Police say it’s “too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.”

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10:05 a.m.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says people should “keep calm and go about their normal lives” as emergency services respond to an incident at a London subway station.

Johnson says it would be “wrong to speculate,” and that police and transit authorities “are on it.”

The police, ambulance and fire services say they are responding to an “incident” at Parson’s Green station in southwest London. Passengers reported people fleeing in panic after reports of an explosion.

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10 a.m.

London firefighters are leading passengers off a train along elevated subway tracks near where a reported explosion sent commuters fleeing in panic. Video from the scene showed people picking their way along the tracks.

The evacuation comes after police responded to “an incident” at the Parsons Green station during Friday rush hour.

Photos taken inside the District Line train show a white plastic bucket inside a supermarket shopping bag. Flames and what appear to be wires can be seen. Witnesses said commuters fled the station in a panic. London ambulance services said they had sent multiple crews to the scene, and police advised people to avoid the area.

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9:25 a.m.

A commuter whose train had just left the Parsons Green station in southwest London says there was panic after a woman on the platform saw what appeared to be an explosion. Richard Aylmer-Hall said he saw several people injured, apparently trampled as they fled.

“There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off,” he said. “Some people got pushed over and trampled on, I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews.” He said he did not believe anyone was hurt by the actual device.

The London ambulance service said multiple crews had been dispatched.

Police confirmed the incident Friday morning. Few details were released as emergency services rushed to the scene. The station was closed.

The incident happened during rush hour when the Underground system is crowded. Passengers were advised to use alternate routes.

London Fire Brigade said they were called to the scene at 8:21 a.m. Friday. The London Ambulance Service said it was working with police on the scene.

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9 a.m.

London’s Metropolitan Police and ambulance services are confirming they are at the scene of “an incident” at the Parsons Green subway station in the southwest of the capital. The underground operator said services have been cut along the line.

All three sent out information via Twitter, saying they would update as soon as possible.

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The item timed at 11:25 a.m. has been corrected to say “none” instead of “one”.

The Associated Press

by Canadian Press