'Urgent Review' Of UK Security After Paris Terror

Scotland Yard is to urgently review its tactics for responding to a Paris-style terrorist assault in the aftermath of the attacks in the French capital.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the scale of the events in France and the weaponry used are a "serious cause for concern".

The police presence at UK ports and major events is being stepped up in the wake of events across the Channel.

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Sir Bernard said: "We have developed appropriate tactics to deal with a firearms attack in London, but we will, of course, urgently review our approach in the light of last night's act of terrorism in Paris.

"The scale of the attacks and the range of weaponry used by the terrorists are a serious cause for concern.

"But the public can be reassured that our firearms officers are trained to deal with this kind of incident and we are constantly evolving new ways to combat the threats to public safety."

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The Met carried out an exercise to test its response to such an incident in July.

David Cameron said preparations had been in place for a possible Paris-style attack ever since extremists launched a similar assault on the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008.

The PM added that Friday's events will be examined to ensure Britain learns any "appropriate lessons".

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He said the UK's terror threat level will remain at "severe", but the bloodshed in France would prompt a review of plans.

On the increased police presence in the UK, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, national police lead for counter-terrorism, said: "We will constantly keep that under review in the forthcoming days and weeks but we can't let the terrorists defeat us by becoming fearful and withdrawing from the streets.

"The term I would use is 'to be alert, not alarmed'."

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He added: "The ambition of terrorists is to sow discord, sow distrust and create fear.

"But at the heart of success in countering terrorism, regardless of the operations we run and the arrests we make, is the relationship between the public and the police.

"It needs to be stronger than ever.

"In particular, we as the police depend massively on information from communities; whether it's about suspicious individuals or suspicious behaviours.

"We've had more reports than ever before over the last year. That needs to continue."