London Metropolitan Police released photos of the fake bomb belts worn by the three London bridge terrorists on Sunday.
The fake, blood-spattered belts were made from plastic water bottles wrapped in duct tape and looped through ordinary belts.
“I have not seen this tactic in the U.K. before where terrorists create maximum fear by strapping fake explosives to themselves,” said Police Commander Dean Haydon, according CBC News. “Anyone who saw them on the night would have thought they were genuine.”
Metropolitan police suspect the attackers may have worn them in case they wanted to take hostages “or it might be that they saw it as protection from being shot themselves.”
Police release images of fake explosive belts worn by London Bridge attackers https://t.co/6DYDRs1zBH pic.twitter.com/evsvJuVQbT
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 10, 2017
Islamic State terrorists Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba wore the belts while they mowed down pedestrians with a van near London bridge, later exiting the vehicle to stab bystanders. They were able to kill eight people and injure approximately 48 others before being shot dead by police.
The attack was the third to strike the U.K. in less than three months. Prime Minister Theresa May, whose Conservative Party just lost several seats in a recent parliamentary election, promised to change how her country fights extremism in response to the attacks.
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