Extra police patrols ordered after the Leytonstone tube station stabbing, are to be wound down.
Scotland Yard declared the stabbing in east London on Saturday a terrorist incident and handed it over to its counter-terrorism command to investigate. One of its key tasks was establishing the motivation behind the incident, and if the stabbing was part of a wider conspiracy.
The day following the stabbing, police announced extra patrols at train and underground stations across London’s transport network.
Now police chiefs have decided that extra measures can be wound down.
In a statement, a British Transport Police spokesperson told the Guardian:“We review our resources and deployment all the time and deploy our resources as necessary.”
Police did not say exactly when the extra patrols will end.
On Monday, Scotland Yard said relatives of a man, Muhaydin Mire, charged over the attack, had contacted them three weeks earlier because they were concerned about the state of his mental health and wanted help. They were referred to health services.
The investigation into the attack by Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command, SO15, is continuing.
The extra patrols were meant to offer reassurance to the public, as well as provide deterrence.
British Transport Police said that extra resources deployed after the Leytonstone incident included “uniformed and plain-clothed officers, supported by other resources, such as armed officers, police dogs and a network of CCTV cameras”.
The terrorism threat level for the United Kingdon remains at severe, meaning an attack is deemed to be “highly likely”.
The incident on Saturday came barely three weeks after terrorists killed 130 people in multiple attacks in Paris, France.
Mire, of Leytonstone, is charged with attempted murder, accused of sawing at the throat of a 56-year-old man at Leytonstone tube station on Saturday evening.
David Cawthorne, a barrister appearing for the crown, told a hearing at Westminster magistrates’ court on Monday that Mire was alleged to have left a 12cm wound on the neck of the man.
The victim has requested anonymity, the court heard, and underwent five hours of surgery following the incident.
Mire appeared in handcuffs, which were removed in the dock. He wore a grey sweatshirt and jogging trousers and gave his name, address and date of birth.
He was remanded in custody pending a hearing on Friday at the Old Bailey.
