Severe terror warning: Public urged to be extra vigilant by Scotland Yard’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner

One of the UK’s most senior counter terrorism officers has told GB News the public could prove to be a vital component in preventing another terrorist attack.

Scotland Yard’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist urged people to be extra vigilant in the run up to Christmas, as the Severe terror threat level means “another attack is highly likely.”

DAC Twist, who is Counter Terrorism Policing’s Senior National Coordinator for Protect and Prepare, said the public should not be alarmed but should be alert to anything out of the ordinary.

“This is the first Christmas for a couple of years where there are lots of people who are going to be together and there's lots of big events going on that we want people to go and enjoy.” He said.

“But we also know that the terrorist threat level has been raised to severe after the two awful attacks in Essex and in Liverpool and we just want the public to be vigilant.

Although Severe means an attack is “highly likely,” the Deputy Assistant Commissioner said that does not mean the public should stop going about their normal business.

“What is means is that if you’re worried about something, if you're suspicious about something, then tell us about it.

“And the message is very clear, by telling us about something, by phoning us you're not going to ruin somebody’s life but you might just save a life.”

After the recent terrorist attacks, enhanced police patrols will be operating in urban centres across the UK over the festive period.

GB News was granted exclusive access to join a counter terrorism patrol in the Capital, as officers from Project Servator deployed to parts of the West End.

The team of uniformed and undercover officers patrolled in vehicles and on foot around Leicester Square and the Theatre district.

PC Habayeb, part of the Servator team based out of Charing Cross police station, said counter terror patrols were a year round deployment, but they had taken on added significance in light of the increase in the terror threat level to Severe.

PC Habayeb said his team had a range of tactics involving high visibility uniformed patrols, backed up by covert teams.

And he said local people were often key in providing on-the-ground intelligence to officers.

“We’re engaging members of the public and local businesses. They are our eyes and ears when we’re not around.

“Some people here have a better local knowledge than what we do. So they will know what doesn’t feel right.

“For example store security guards will know what is normal business around here and if they see someone hanging about that doesn’t look right they can just give us a call and we’ll sort it.”

Authorities say there is no specific intelligence of any planned attacks in the months ahead.

But security officials acknowledge the raised threat level on the back of recent attacks means it is likely a matter of when, rather than if another attack happens.