The UK is deploying soldiers to patrol streets because another attack could be 'imminent'

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/23/europe/uk-terror-threat-level-critical-soldiers/index.html

Following the attack at the Manchester Arena from Monday night, the United Kingdom has decided to deploy soldiers to take over guard duties at key sites.  The purpose of this is to allow elite police to focus on the threat of another possible terrorist attack.  Authorities have been trying to determine if Salman Abedia, the man who is thought to have carried out the attack outside the Manchester Arena, acted alone or with others.  The possibility of the involvement of others hasn't been ruled out yet.  Due to this uncertainty, the UK has increased security presence and activated a plan they call Operation Temperer, which involves the replacement of elite police with soldiers at key sites such as railway stations, airports, concerts, and sports events.  All of this follows the UK raising the threat level to "critical", which has only happened on two other instances in 2006, when officers stopped an attempt to blow up jets leaving Britain for the US, and in 2007, when a man tried to ram a burning car loaded with gas canisters into Glasgow Airport.  The last time the UK deployed troops occurred in 2003 in response to a plot to bring down a British airliner by al Qaeda.  With the FA Cup final happening this weekend, UK officials didn't want to take any chances.

Shannon McDonald