World Jewish News

Jewish community in Britain warned to be vigilant following terrorist attack in London underground

The Community Security Trust (CST), the group responsible for the protection and the defense of the Jewish community in the UK, has warned the community to be on its guard following a bomb attack on a commuter train at Parsons Green in west London on Friday morning.

CST said it contacted Scotland Yard and was told that, at this stage, there was "no evidence that the explosion has any connection" to Jews in London.

But CST warned the community to be vigilant. “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,” said a CST spokesperson.

The explosion wounded 22 people and ignited a panicked stampede to safety.

Witnesses described seeing a “wall of fire” as the bomb — hidden in a plastic bucket inside a supermarket freezer bag — went off about 8:20 a.m. while the train was at the Parsons Green station.

It was not a large explosion, and British police and health officials said none of the injured was thought to be seriously hurt. Yet police said it was a terrorist attack, the fifth in Britain this year.

London has been targeted by attackers several times this year, with deadly vehicle attacks near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London. A May 22 suicide bomb attack at Manchester Arena killed 22 people.

The London Underground has been targeted several times in the past, notably in July 2005, when suicide bombers blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 people and themselves. Four more bombers tried a similar attack two weeks later, but their devices failed to fully explode.

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.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility of Friday’s attack.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews sent its condolences to those who were caught up in the explosion.

“Our thoughts go out to all of those injured in the terrorist attack on a train at Parsons Green Station this morning,” said Jonathan Arkush, President of the Board.

“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, ” it said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel stands with the people of Britain in the “common fight” against terror.

“We stand with PM May and the people of Britain in our common fight against the forces of terror,” he said in a tweet while on a trip to Latin America and the US.

Israeli 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.”

EJP