Pc hits out at City security

A police officer today criticised Scotland Yard for failing to put armed officers on patrol at City Airport - only three miles from the towers at Canary Wharf.

Pc Vincent O'Shea, who is trained in armed response, says he finds it "astonishing" no officers from the Met's firearms unit are on watch at the airport following the 11 September attacks in America.

He said: "After all the activity of the last weeks I find it strange, no, astonishing that there are no armed officers patrolling London City Airport.

"Why is this? As a member of the Belmarsh Armed Team I am aware that there is a severe shortage of officers to fulfil this role. Now is the time to train more people to carry arms." More officers working in boroughs or on Territorial Support Groups (TSGs) should be trained to carry guns, added Mr O'Shea.

Last week Scotland Yard announced it was on full alert for the possibility of a double-pronged Christmas terror campaign by Islamic extremists and renegade Irish terrorists. The Met appealed to Londoners to remain vigilant for the possibility of an attack and is backing up its warning with an advertising campaign. Thousands of extra officers are also on patrol.

Met Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens defended policing levels at City Airport. He said: "Should an armed response be required at City Airport, then SO19 Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs) are able to provide a well trained rapid response to aid their colleagues.

"It is likely that SO19 ARVs would be able to provide six well armed officers on the ground as quickly, if not more so, than the borough or TSG could using local firearms officers."

Detectives believe the most potent threat comes from Islamic extremist groups or individuals who may try to carry out an attack against civilians in London in retaliation for the military success of the Western alliance in Afghanistan. An internal memo warns senior commanders across London to be on the alert for the possibility of suicide attacks.