First Response

LAMBETH CENTRAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMAND CENTRE (3.04 p.m.)

Sergeant Lumley stood up and waved over at Kamran. ‘ISIS have just posted a propaganda video on YouTube, claiming responsibility for what’s happening,’ he said. ‘Dozens of fundamentalist Twitter accounts are now tweeting about it.’

‘Can you put it up on the big screen?’ asked Kamran.

‘No problem,’ said the sergeant. He tapped on his keyboard and the YouTube main page appeared on the screen. Kamran stood up and Gillard joined him.

Shahid was dressed in black and was wearing a black ski mask. Behind him was the black and white flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. He stood with his arms folded. ‘ISIS is prepared to do whatever is necessary to force the British government to release the ISIS fighters it is currently holding in Belmarsh Prison,’ he said.

The flag disappeared and was replaced with a view of an Iraqi street. A man was walking towards an American checkpoint while soldiers in desert camouflage aimed their weapons at him. Shahid was obviously standing in front of a green screen and the image was being superimposed behind him. He pointed at the man and as he did so he exploded and the checkpoint was destroyed.

‘ISIS suicide bombers are now in place at nine locations around London,’ said Shahid.

The suicide-bomber footage was replaced with a TV news shot of the Brixton church where the first bomber had struck.

‘There is an ISIS warrior at this church, and if the six ISIS freedom fighters are not released by this evening, the warrior will destroy the church and everyone in it.’ On cue, the church exploded.

Kamran flinched even though he knew it was only a CGI special effect.

A map appeared on screen with nine cartoon bombs dotted around the capital, marking the location of the suicide bombers. ‘Other warriors are around the city, ready to give their lives in order to force the government to release the ISIS prisoners,’ said Shahid, folding his arms.

The background became a rapid series of images of the effects of the Seven/Seven bombings in London — images of bodies on stretchers being carried from Underground stations, of damaged Tube carriages and the bus blown apart in Tavistock Square.

The camera went in close on Shahid’s mask. ‘What happens next is in the hands of the prime minister,’ he said. ‘If he releases the ISIS Six, lives will be saved and he will have proven himself to be the better man. But if he insists on unjustly imprisoning the ISIS warriors, his citizens will die. He knows what needs to be done.’ Shahid raised a clenched gloved fist above his head. ‘Allahu Akbar!’ he said. ‘Allah be praised.’ The screen went black and then the ISIS flag appeared, wreathed in flames. It stayed on the screen for almost a minute as background chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’ grew louder and louder.

‘Two hundred thousand hits already,’ said Gillard, as the video came to an end. He looked at Lumley. ‘Can we talk to YouTube and get them to take it down?’

‘I can make the call, but even if we get them to take it down it’ll be copied and back up within minutes,’ said the sergeant. He peered at his computer screen. ‘It’s already on five other sites. Make that six.’

‘They really know how to use social media,’ said Kamran. ‘Videos of beheadings, video tutorials on how to sign up and what life is like as an ISIS soldier, all professionally done.’

‘They shouldn’t be allowed to post inflammatory videos like that,’ said Gillard.

‘Almost impossible to stop, unfortunately,’ said Kamran.

‘Twitter’s going crazy with it,’ said Lumley. ‘Hundreds of retweets of the video URL. And they’re growing exponentially.’

‘Bastard,’ muttered Gillard, under his breath. ‘He’s got us by the short and curlies and he knows it.’