The Metropolitan Police Hostile Reconnaissance Unit has arrested more than 5,000 American tourists in the last two days.
Chief Inspector Roger Andout of the Met. HRU says the tourists were seen"…hanging around, observing and taking photographs and video footage of potential terrorist targets such as Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Horse Guards Parade, Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster."
"Not only were these people seen acting suspiciously, but they were all foreign as well," said Andout, adding that "…many were equipped with state of the art video and photography gear that raised our suspicions. Strangely those arrested all had an inability to pronounce 'Leicester Square' correctly and had no understanding of irony."
Investigations are continuing.
