Westminster terror attack should be wake up call

Craig Mackey delivered a stark message to platforms which have come under fire for hosting extremist material, calling on them to grasp what it means to "put your own house in order".

Facebook, Google and Twitter are among firms that have repeatedly faced calls to do more to detect and remove jihadist and other extreme videos and web pages.

Mr Mackey, the acting commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, was asked about the issue as he appeared at the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee.

He stopped short of identifying any individual companies, but said: "I think these sorts of incidents and the others we've seen in Europe are probably a bit of a wake-up call for the industry in terms of trying to understand what it means to put your own house in order.

"If you are going to have ethical statements and talk about operating in an ethical way it actually has to mean something."

The debate flared up last week after it emerged that information on how to mount an attack was easily accessible in the wake of Khalid Masood's murderous rampage.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson attacked firms over a "disgusting" failure to remove extremist material, while Home Secretary Amber Rudd will raise the matter at a meeting with technology bosses on Thursday.

Mr Mackey, who is leading Britain's largest force until new commissioner Cressida Dick takes up her post, also discussed the challenge posed by secure applications.

A furore over security services' access to terrorists' communications erupted following reports that Masood's phone connected with encrypted messaging service WhatsApp just before the attack last Wednesday.

The acting commissioner disclosed that an "enormous" volume of digital information is being examined as part of the inquiry.

He said: "Some of that will be in secure applications. Some of that will be in a variety of formats that are more easy to analyse and work with.

"We work hard with the industry to highlight some of the challenges of these very secure applications.

"It's a challenge when you are dealing with companies that are global by their very nature because they don't always operate under the same legal framework as us."

WhatsApp has said it is "co-operating with law enforcement as they continue their investigations".

Mr Mackey said the method of causing "large-scale carnage" using "little more than a vehicle and a knife" will "naturally lead to consideration as to whether there is more we can sensibly do to prevent similar attacks".

He told the committee that, while detectives believe at this stage that Masood acted alone in his execution of the attack, the investigation to establish whether anyone else was involved in any way continues.

Twelve people have been arrested in connection with the probe. Two remain in custody, one has been released on bail and nine have been released with no further action.

In other developments a week on from the atrocity:

:: Mr Mackey revealed that the Met registered a "slight uplift" in Islamophobic incidents on the day after the outrage, but the rise was "far smaller than we've seen in previous events".

:: An inquest for the four victims was opened and adjourned at Westminster Coroner's Court.

:: The family of Andreea Cristea, who is in a critical condition after she fell from Westminster Bridge into the River Thames during the attack, said they are "overwhelmed by the love, support and respect" shown for her.

:: It was announced that Pc Keith Palmer will be laid to rest in a full police service funeral next month.

:: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join the families of Westminster terror attack victims at a special service.

Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Aysha Frade, 44, died after Muslim convert Masood drove at pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.

The 52-year-old terrorist was shot dead by armed police after fatally knifing Pc Palmer, 48, in the Palace of Westminster's cobbled forecourt.

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