How a failed payment saved countless lives in London attack
British police said the London Bridge knife attack's intensity could've been far worse if not for a failed payment. The three assailants - Khuram Shazad Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba - had attempted to hire a 7.5-tonne lorry hours before carrying out the attack. When the payment attempt failed, they hired a van which was used to run over pedestrians.
Truck used in series of attacks in Europe
In July 2016, 86 people were killed and over 400 injured in Nice, France, when a 31-year-old Tunisian extremist rammed a 19-tonne truck into a crowd. In December 2016, a 24-year-old Tunisian killed 11 people and wounded dozens after ploughing his truck through a Berlin market. On March 22, 2017, a man rammed his car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge killing five people.
Impact of attack could've been worse if attackers hired lorry
On June 3, the three attackers drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge, killing three people. Britain's counter-terrorism chief Dean Haydon said: "When I come back to Butt trying to get hold of a 7.5 tonne lorry - the effect could have been even worse." Overall, the attack left eight people dead and 48 wounded. The attackers were shot dead by police.
Attackers had prepared Molotov cocktails, larger attack planned?
Investigators found "13 wine bottles with rags wrapped around them and believed to be filled with a flammable liquid," along with two blowtorches. Police believe these were Molotov cocktails which the assailants may have planned to ignite for a secondary attack after the stabbings. However, Haydon clarified that police aren't sure about this. Haydon said: "We don't know - I can only surmise."
Attackers used pink-colored 12-inch ceramic knives for stabbings
Police said the attackers had tied 12-inch pink-colored "Ernesto" brand ceramic knives to their hands for the stabbings. Police have appealed to the public for any information on the "unusual knives," including where they may have acquired them from. The ceramic knives may have been used to avoid being picked up by metal detectors.
