British police reinforced as Cameron declares fightback

BRITAIN’S prime minister David Cameron yesterday declared a fightback against looters and rioters as a community mourned the deaths of three men killed while trying to protect local businesses.

Police forces across Britain called in reinforcements in an attempt to stop another night of the riots that have now claimed four lives.

As looting and violence spread from London to the north-west and midlands, three men — Haroon Jahan, 21, and brothers Shazad Ali, 30, and Abdul Musavir, 31 — were killed when a car struck them as they protected shops in Birmingham at 1am yesterday.

Mr Cameron described the deaths as “truly dreadful”. “They have my deepest condolences,” he said. “I think everyone in the country is going to be thinking about them and their families and what happened.”

West Midlands Police have arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

Their deaths follow that of a 26-year-old man who was shot in Croydon, south London, on Monday night.

Politicians and police sought to return calm to the cities by flooding the streets with officers.

Home Secretary Theresa May yesterday ordered every police chief in Britain to cancel all staff leave to deal with the crisis. Six forces have drafted in extra officers from other constabularies, though fears of a fifth night of violence appeared to be easing last night.

Speaking after a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, Cobra, Mr Cameron said: “We needed a fightback, and a fightback is under way.

“We have seen the worst of Britain, but I also believe we have seen some of the best of Britain — the million people who have signed up on Facebook to support the police, coming together in the clean-up operations.”