London's police have foiled at least three terrorist plots since the suicide attacks on the city's transport system a year ago, and now have about 70 active investigations, the head of the Anti-Terrorist Branch said Monday.
Peter Clarke told reporters that three potential attacks had been disrupted and would result in criminal trials. A fourth suspected plot, he added, was broken up by "another form of disruption." He didn't elaborate.
He said police activity had intensified in the year since four suicide bombers killed 52 bus and subway passengers in London on July 7, 2005.
"There has been an unrelenting demand for intelligence to be investigated and operations conducted to arrest suspects or disrupt terrorist activity when judged to be appropriate," Clarke said.
"The Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch have around 70 current investigations spanning London, the U.K. and the globe. That is the nature of what we face. The defense of the capital often starts many thousands of miles away," he said.