Mass evacuation plans leaked
The Government is formulating contingency plans for a mass evacuation of London should a major terrorist attack hit the capital.
The confidential proposals, codenamed Operation Sassoon, were presented to the London Resilience Forum at the Cabinet Office in July, according to The Sunday Times.
Documents reveal how seven million Londoners could be transported into “rest and reception areas” in the Home Counties, where “medium/long term rehousing” would be constructed.
Londoners would be directed to safe areas on foot before travelling to special camps outside the M25 by rail, Tube, buses and cars.
Canary Wharf, Heathrow, Westminster, Whitehall and the City are listed as potential terror targets.
A Home Office spokesman said people should be “alert but not alarmed.”
The story emerges as emergency services will be tested today in a mock “chemical strike” on London Underground Bank station in London.
The “chemical strike” will be on a train on the Waterloo and City line at Bank station.
The ‘CBRN attack’ (chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons) will involve the army and police, as well fire and ambulance officers.
The scale of the drill codenamed Osiris 2 is a first in the City of London. The exercise is expected to end at 15:30 GMT Sunday.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens warned previously of an “imminent” terror attack in the UK.
In an interview with Reuters, Sir John said: “We are at the highest level of alert, I think, that we have ever been.
“That quantum leap is all about people prepared to give their lives in relation to their causes,” he said.
