London car bomb contained petrol, nails, gas cans

London, June 29: The car bomb found in London's Haymarket in early hours of the day contained large amounts of petrol, nails and several gas canisters, police have revealed.

Detectives believe they have foiled a major terror attack after the "big" explosive device was discovered in a Mercedes.

They said if the bomb had gone off it would have caused "significant injury or loss of life." Police received reports of a suspicious vehicle in the early hours close to the Tiger Tiger nightclub from members of the London ambulance service, called in at the club to attend to someone. It was then that they noticed smoke in the Mercedes and informed the police.

An eyewitness said a man crashed the vehicle into bins near a nightclub early this morning and then ran away.

Security sources say the incident could have been timed to coincide with Gordon Brown's first day as Prime Minister.

The area was cordoned off by officers who examined the car standing outside an American Express foreign exchange. They discovered what appeared to be a potentially explosive device, which was then difused by specialist teams.

The back door of the car was said to be open when it was discovered near the Tiger Tiger nightclub.

The police, however, did not confirm if the nightclub was a target, but said it was "aware that nightclubs have, in the past, been potential targets." It is believed that it was a ladies night at the club and over 1,500 people could be there at that time.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the incident reminds us that Britain faces "a serious and continuous threat" and the public "need to be alert" at all times.

The suspect vehicle has been removed from the scene for detailed forensic examinations. Detectives will be looking at CCTV footage from the area surrounding the Haymarket and interviewing witnesses, including staff from the nightclub.

Congestion charge cameras, which recognise number plates and run 24 hours a day, will be able to track the route of the vehicle into the capital.

Former head of the Flying Squad John O'Connor said the attacker had most probably "bottled it" and is likely to be a homegrown terrorist.

A Cobra meeting was chaired by the new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith this morning to discuss terror scare and it was then reported to the Cabinet.

Enhanced security measures have been put in place at the Houses of Westminster in the wake of the incident.

The discovery of the car bomb comes just under two years since suicide attacks killed 52 people in the capital.

UNI