London, Dec 20 (IANS) A Mumbai-style terror attack could take place in London, Scotland Yard has warned business houses in the city, a media report said Sunday.
“Mumbai is coming to London,” The Sunday Times quoted a senior detective from SO15, the Metropolitan police counter-terrorism command, as saying.

Companies should anticipate a shooting and hostage-taking raid “involving a small number of gunmen with handguns and improvised explosive devices”, the detective stated.

The blunt warning has underlined an assessment that a terrorist cell may be preparing an attack on London early next year.

It was issued through the network of “security forums”, which provide business leaders, local government and the emergency services with counter-terrorism advice.

The Nov 26-28 Mumbai mayhem when 10 heavily armed Pakistani gunmen sneaked into the city from the sea, left 166 people dead. One of the terrorists, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was arrested.

A senior security adviser said the police warnings had intensified and become much more specific in the past fortnight.

“Before, there has been speculation. Now we are getting what appears to be a definite plot to carry out a firearms attack on London,” he was quoted as saying.