By JASON BENNETTO in London
Less than a fortnight after the Home Secretary accidentally disclosed that terrorists could strike Britain with deadly chemicals, fears have been raised that extremists may be planning to release poison gas in the London Underground.
Despite strong denials by security sources and the Government that there is a specific plot to hit the Tube with a gas bomb, the Underground has long been recognised as a likely terrorist target. It has always been considered vulnerable to bombs, gas, or fire.
Despite denials that three North African men due to appear in court overnight on terrorist charges were involved in such a plan, security intelligence agency MI5 and Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch are aware that supporters of al Qaeda could attack the Tube.
Concerns over the issue has prompted the Government to reveal that is planning a poster campaign advising people how to survive a chemical or gas attack.
The "protect and survive" posters will go up in Underground and mainline railway stations from early next year.
Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, the Government's chief medical officer, said the campaign was being devised because of the increased risk of attacks by terrorists using gases such as sarin. He said that the advice could be "to leave the scene of the incident quickly, or not to take deep breaths".
Donaldson said the increased threat of attacks - including the detonation of "dirty" (radioactive) bombs - meant people would have to become accustomed to seeing hospitals and emergency services practising response plans.
"It will be alarming for people to see exercises in which pretend casualties are carried away by people in protective equipment and decontaminated, but they will get used to it," he said.
The potentially devastating impact of a gas attack on an underground system was demonstrated on Tokyo's subway in 1995. Twelve people were killed and 5000 were injured when the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin nerve gas.
Security has already been heightened at airports, ports, power plants, Government and military buildings. The speculation about the Underground is almost certain to lead to a review of vulnerable parts of the country's transport system.
The alarm comes as intelligence services have picked up an unprecedented level of intelligence suggesting al Qaeda is planning an attack soon. The main concern is the potential threat from suicide bombers.
Fears of an imminent attack prompted Home Secretary David Blunkett to issue a "threat assessment" document to alert people to the possible danger without alarming them. Officials mistakenly gave journalists an uncensored version which included speculation about different types of attack. It said terrorists might "try to develop a so-called dirty bomb, or some kind of poison gas; maybe they will try to use boats or trains rather than planes. The bottom line is that we simply cannot be sure".
- INDEPENDENT
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