Terror ringleader tried to hire 7.5-tonne lorry hours before London attack

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The attempted truck hire failed because Butt failed to provide payment details.

After his payment was declined, Butt and his two accomplices rented a smaller van that they used to plow into crowds before they leapt from the vehicle and went on a stabbing rampage in an attack that left eight people dead and almost 50 injured.

The potential for large vehicles to inflict mass casualties was laid bare in horrifying fashion a year ago when a lorry drove through crowds gathered to celebrate Bastille Day in Nice, killing 86 people and injuring scores more.

After Butt's payment was declined, the trio of terrorists rented the smaller van that they used to plow into crowds before jumping out of the vehicle and going on a stabbing rampage that left eight people dead and nearly 50 injured.

The attacks are domestic plans, Cressida said, adding that there are worldwide connections and links in the last three attacks.

Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Cressida Dick speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at New Scotland Yard, in London Saturday, June 10, 2017.

In a raid of an east London apartment rented by Redouane, police found an English-language copy of the Koran opened at a page describing martyrdom and materials that may have been used to make the Molotov cocktails.

Three men rammed into pedestrians on London Bridge on the night of June 3 before going on a stabbing spree at bars and restaurants at the nearby Borough Market. Butt drove the van into pedestrians on the iconic bridge.

US spy planes help Philippine troops quell siege
Lt Col Herrera said the military was "validating" reports that the two Maute brothers who founded the group had been killed . The US embassy confirmed it had offered support, at the request of the Philippine government, but gave no details.

"We need to know more about these unusual knives".

Butt, a 27-year-old Pakistan-born British citizen, and his two accomplices, Rachid Redouane, 30, who claimed to be Moroccan-Libyan, and Youssef Zaghba, a 22-year-old Italian national of Moroccan descent, were shot dead by armed police eight minutes after the first emergency call.

Metropolitan Police Commander Dean Haydon praised the bravery of the police officers and members of public who tackled the three - despite the possibility they could have been killed in an explosion.

Southwark council said on Saturday that all residents would now be able to return to their homes after police left the crime scene. This was the safe house where the attack was planned, police said.

Police said they found "13 wine bottles with rags wrapped around them and believed to be filled with a flammable liquid", as well as two blowtorches in the battered white van. Luggage straps, plastic retractable craft knives and rolls of duct tape were also found.

Commander Haydon said it was hard to speculate what the motive had been for wearing the belts, but said the three attackers may have had plans for a siege or might have seen them as possible protection from being shot themselves.

Met Police confirmed to CNN that Butt was out on bail at the time of the attacks, having been arrested in a low-level fraud offense in October 2016.

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