Transcript of this afternoon's news conference, in which senior police officers discussed this morning's shooting and the search for the four men who tried to attack the London transport system yesterday:
Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police:
"As you are aware, there is a lot of police activity going on today in relation to the underground and bus incidents of yesterday - it's a very, very fast-moving investigation. Andy Hayman is going to make an appeal for new information.
But there are a few points that I would like to make to begin with. As I have said before, this is the greatest operational challenge ever faced by the Metropolitan police service. I think the Metropolitan police service and Its sister service are doing a magnificant job, but officers are facing previously unknown threats and great danger.
We need the understanding of all communities and the cooperation of all communities and we need calm.
We know that there are rumours sweeping London and I really do appeal to the people to listen to the facts as they emerge. We remain resolute and will work tirelessly and imaginatively with every community in London to solve this crime.
The most important message that we have, other than this appeal, is that this operation is targetted against criminals - it is not targetted against any community or any section of the community.
There are hundreds of police officers working across London on these enquiries and our anti-terrorist teams are working literally around the clock and there probably won't be any let-up in that for some considerable time.
I can say that as part of the operations linked to yesterday's incidents, Metropolitan police officers have shot a man inside Stockwell underground station. It happened at approximately 10 o'clock this morning.
Both London Ambulance service and the Air Ambulance attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene and I understand that Stockwell tube station remains closed.
The information I have available is that this shooting is directly linked to the on-going and expanding anti-terrorist operation. I need to make clear that any death is deeply regretable, but as I understand the situation, the man was challenged and refused to obey police instructions.
I can't go any further at this stage and I'm now going to hand over to Andy Hayman."
Andy Hayman, Deputy Commissioner, Scotland Yard:
"Thank you, Commissioner.
I'd like to start off by reminding everyone that about two weeks ago, we stated our objective for this investigation. The objective is to identify and successfully prosecute the people responsible for these events.
The resolve to achieve that objective has never been stronger. The energy and enthusiasm, both the community and our officers is at its height. The purpose of today is to set out what we've done since yesterday's events, which has then led us to asking the community for their help.
It was said yesterday by colleagues that following an event such as yesterday evidence, opportunities and intelligence opportunties increase. That is the case. And since yesterday we've been very busy analysiing CCTV tapes, taking numerous statements and conducting house-to-house enquires. This has been fruitful.
This afternoon we are going to be releasing CCTV images of four men we urgently want to trace in connection with attempts to detonate four explosive devices on the trransport system in central London yesterday.
It is crucial that detectives are able to question them about yesterday's events at the Oval, Shepherd's Bush, Warren Street underground stations and on a route 26 bus in Hackney Road at the junction with Columbia Road E2.
I want to be very clear now about what I want the public to do because there are two requests here.
Firstly, anyone who has information about where these men currently are, you should immediately call 999 and ask for Urgent Police Response. The public are asked not to approach them.
If anyone believes they know the identies of the men or has any other inforation about them or their movements. they should contact the Confidential Anti-Terrorist Branch hotline on 0800 789 321.
What I would like to do now is deal with all things individually and describe to you the events that occurred there and also show you the images that are relevant to those things.
At the Oval underground station a device was left on a carriage on a Northern line train travelling northbound. The image we are now showing shows a man running away from the Northern line at the Oval underground station at approximately 12.34 hours yesterday.
We believe this man had travelled northbound on the Northern line from Stockwell underground station to the Oval. He was wearing a dark top with the words "New York" written in white across the front. This top was later found in Cowley Road, Brixton.
A device was left at the rear of the top deck of the Route 26 bus travelling from Waterloo to Hackney Wick. The image that's now showing is of a man at the rear of the top deck on that bus at about 12.53 hours.
He got off the bus at Hackney Road at approximately 30.06. He was wearing a grey T-shirt and what appears to have been a palm tree design on the front with a dark jacket and a white baseball cap.
At Warren Street, a device was left in a carriage on a northbound Victoria line. The image that's now showing of a third person we want to identify show a man leaving Warrant Street underground at approximately 12.39 hours. He was wearing dark clothing.
Finally, at Shepherd's Bush a device was left on a Hammersmith & City line train travelling westbound. This final image that's showing is of a man at Westbourne Park underground station at approximately 12.21pm.
We believe he travelled westbound on the Hammersmith & City line to Shepherd's Bush underground station where he ran from the station. He was wearing a dark shirt and trousers and was later reportedly wearing a white vest.
Now yesterday's incidents do bear similarities to the bomb attacks in London on July 7 in so much as there were three underground trains and a bus that were targetted. There are other features which are emerging which are of interest to detectives. Now, we are actively pursuing lines of enquiry.
You are aware that earlier today - this afternoon - we were entering a house in central London. As we speak, there are two further addresses being entered by Metropolitan police officers in connection with this investigation.
What this demonstrates is how fast-moving this investigation is and how hopefully productive the lines of enquiry are.
The initial forensic examination indicates that a bomb partially detonated at each of the four sites.
At this stage, it is believed that the devices consisted of home-made explosives and were contained in dark-coloured bags or rucksacks. At this stage it's too early to tell how these were detonated. Now I'm urgently seeking the public's assistance.
It's time for the public to do what they are very good at which is support investigations. It's for us to decide whether any information that's given is of relevance. So if someone thinks it may be relevant, I would ask them to contact us as we've guided.
I'd just like to pose a couple of questions which might help people think through this request:
Do you recognise any of these men?
Did you see them at the three underground stations or on the bus?
Did you see them at a different location?
Did you see these men together - before or after the incident?
Did you see them with anyone else?
If I could remind you - if you see these men, the public response should be to ring 999 and not approach them themselves. If you believe you know the identify of these men or have information relevant to those questions with different responses after is to ring the hotline of the Anti-Terrorist Branch on 0800 789 321.
Sir Ian Blair:
"Thank you very much indeed, Andy. And I would like to place on record my congratulations to Andy and his team for the speed with which they've reached this stage in the investigation.
Just two final messages from me - you've got all the numbers - the first one is just a reiteration of the need for calm and the need to understand that rumours will sweep around about what's happening.
At the moment, the situation is under control, the investigation is proceeding, the scenes are under control, the houses that are being searched are under control.
The second, crucial message is that we can only defeat this form of terror by working with communities, by getting the community's support into everything that we are doing.
We will try explain everything that we possibly can, but it is a very, very fast-moving scenario and we may do that from time to time. I'm very grateful to the people of London for the way in which they have reacted so far and I hope very much that we will be able to bring this to as swift a conclusion as possible.
Thanks very much.
That ends this briefing, and at this time I do not anticipate any further briefings today, but if that situation changes then obviously we'll get in touch with you.
Thank you."
Statement by the Metropolitan Police about the shooting at Stockwell station
"The man shot at Stockwell station is still subject to formal identification and it is not yet clear whether he is one of the four people we are seeking to identify and whose pictures have been released today. It therefore remains extremely important that members of the public continue to assist police in relation to all four pictures.
"This death, like all deaths related to police operations, is obviously a matter of deep regret. Nevertheless the man who was shot was under police observation because he had emerged from a house that was itself under observation because it was linked to the investigation of yesterday’s incidents.
"He was then followed by surveillance officers to the station. His clothing and his behaviour at the station added to their suspicions. While the counter terrorist investigation will obviously take pre-eminence, the investigation into the circumstances that led to his death is being pursued and will be subject to scrutiny through the IPCC in due course."
