Jewish groups in the United Kingdom were united in their condemnation of a terrorist attack on a subway train in southwest London on Friday morning, in which 22 people were wounded by what Scotland Yard’s anti-terror squad described as an “improvised explosive device.”
“Our thoughts go out to all of those injured in the attack on a train at Parsons Green Station this morning,” said Jonathan Arkush — the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews — in a statement. “The more the extremists attempt to disrupt our lives and challenge our values of tolerance and mutual respect, the stronger our resolve and determination to defeat them.”
A security bulletin issued by the Community Security Trust (CST) — the communal security body for British Jews — said its officials had been in touch with police in London to determine whether there was a heightened threat to the Jewish community.
“We have been assured that at this stage there is no evidence that the explosion has any connection to the Jewish community,” the CST bulletin said. “Nevertheless, given the current high terror threat level and the potential for attacks against multiple targets, including against the Jewish community, we urge everybody to be vigilant, to report anything suspicious and to follow all security protocols and instructions if you are visiting a Jewish location.”
British Prime Minister Theresa May denounced the “cowardly” attack, which she said had “intended to cause significant harm.” May said the UK’s terror threat level would remain at “severe” — the second highest — but would be under review.
Speaking after chairing a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee, the prime minister said there would be an increased armed police presence on the transport network in London.
Images of the device used in Friday’s attack showed a white bucket on fire inside a supermarket bag, with wires trailing on the floor of the train carriage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who is in Mexico on the latest stop of a ten-day tour of Latin America — took to Twitter to declare solidarity with the British people.
We stand with PM May and the people of Britain in our common fight against the forces of terror. @Number10gov
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) September 15, 2017