London Bridge attack sparks questions for British security services over lowering of terror threat level

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy British intelligence services are facing questions about their decision to downgrade the UK terror threat just weeks before a new attack hit London Bridge. But the security service failed to spot the preparations he was making with fellow Isis supporters at an Ilford gym, while warnings that London Bridge itself was wide open to a terror attack were ignored. “In my opinion, there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.” He called for changes to MI5’s “potential lone actor” triage tool, which had initially rated Butt as only having a “weak capability” to launch an attack. In 2018, Mr Basu told The Independent that “the bar had been lowered” for terror attacks, adding: “I think we raised that bar again and I am optimistic.” As of three weeks ago, his officers were still working on about 800 live counterterror investigations.