Terror attack 'inevitable'

A terrorist attack on Britain could be "inevitable", Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens said today.

Police and the security services have dramatically increased their efforts and are "working three times harder than ever" to foil any terrorist plot.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone told a City Hall press conference that it would be "miraculous" if the capital was not attacked.

Sir John said: "Since September 11 there have been 520 arrests, half have been charged with an offence and there are 90 about to go through to court.

"We do know that we have actually stopped terrorist attacks happening in London but, as the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have said, there is an inevitablity that some sort of attack will get through but my job is to make sure that does not happen."

Sir John's comments came amid mounting evidence that Islamic extremists with links to al Qaida were behind last week's Madrid bombings which left more than 200 dead.

The terrorists behind the attack may also be linked an attack in Casablanca, Morocco, last year that killed 45 people.