London Bridge terrorist tried to hire 7-ton van to cause greater carnage
THE three London Bridge terrorists plotted to cause even greater carnage by mowing down victims in a seven ton lorry and firebomb busy pubs and restaurants with Molotov cocktails lit by blow torch, police revealed yesterday.
The London Bridge terrorists plotted to cause more carnage by hiring a seven ton truck
Ring-leader Khuram Butt tried to hire the van last Saturday morning, Scotland Yard said.
But he failed to provide the correct payment details and the rental was cancelled.
The killers turned to plan B and hired the lighter Renault van used in the atrocity that claimed eight lives and left 48 injured on Saturday night.
Butt, 27, murdered three people when he swerved on to the pavement of London Bridge and smashed into pedestrians.
Two died when they were hit at up to 50mph.
A third victim, Frenchman Xavier Thomas, 45, was knocked off the bridge and drowned in the Thames.
Butt crashed the van into a crowd close to the Barrowboy and Banker pub on the bridge’s south side.
Ring-leader Khuram Butt tried to hire the truck last Saturday morning, Scotland Yard said
Uncle of London Bridge terrorist condemns 'shameful' attack
The men, wearing fake suicide belts, jumped out and ran in separate directions to stab victims using 12-inch ceramic knives with pink blades that were tied to their wrists.
Moments later, they regrouped and went into the packed Borough Market where they continued the carnage.
Butt, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead after armed police answered the 999 call in just eight minutes.
Dean Haydon, of the Yard’s counter-terrorism command, said yesterday the men had a stash of 13 petrol bombs and two blow torches in the back of the van.
Detectives believe they planned to return to the vehicle, light the Molotov cocktails with the blow torches and hurl them into crowded bars and restaurants.
The van had also been loaded with several bags of builders gravel – possibly to give it more weight as a “battering ram” or as part of a ruse to cover the real reason for hiring the vehicle.
Mr Haydon revealed the terrorists’ safe house was Redouane’s home in Barking Road, East Ham.
In the flat, rented in April this year, officers found bottles of petrol or lighter fluid used to fill the Molotov cocktails.
The atrocity claimed eight lives and left 48 injured on Saturday night
Police believe the killers planned the attack in the flat.
They suspect others may have been involved in supporting them.
The attack was launched at 9.58pm. Butt went on a dry run going south across London Bridge before turning round and heading back to the northern end.
After doing a U-turn, he sped towards the first victims.
Police appealed for witnesses to ring the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321.