Elite cops, facial recognition experts and SAS snipers to guard Notting Hill Carnival

FACIAL recognition computer experts will work alongside elite cops and SAS snipers to protect this weekend’s Notting Hill Carnival.

For the first time, monitors which can pinpoint known troublemakers and terror threats will be used at the festival amid fears it could be targeted in an attack similar to the Nice atrocity.

Security fears have been raised for major public events such as the Carnival after an Isis leader urged “lone wolf” attackers to target innocent people at western festivals.

Now SAS snipers trained to stop vehicles in crowds by shooting through engine blocks with armour-piercing bullets will be on duty at the event.

They will be aided by hi-tech computer software which can pick a ‘ known’ face out of  a crowd of thousands.

The computer technology will also be used to target those intent of causing trouble at the street festival – after a recent spate of stabbings and attacks on police.

Also on call 24-7 will be hundreds of armed officers from the Met’s elite anti-terror unit.

Aides of Mayor Sadiq Khan are said to have particular concerns over the Notting Hill, where more than two million people will celebrate the August bank holiday this weekend.

Their fears comes after the Nice lorry atrocity in which 84 people were killed in July.

Met carnival spokesperson Superintendent Robyn Williams, said:  “This weekend is the highlight of the year, not only for the Caribbean community, but also for many visitors from London and the rest of the country.

“The Met has worked hard to ensure that Carnival is a safe and enjoyable weekend for everyone who attends and I would ask all Carnival goers to enjoy this family event and make sure that you follow officers’ and stewards’ instructions.”

“In addition to the officers policing Carnival, highly-skilled officers who can recall offenders’ faces after seeing them briefly either in person or on file – so-called ‘super-recognisers’ – will be monitoring the event live from a CCTV control room.

“This year the Met also has an extra tool in its possession to identify and arrest troublemakers, with a trial of a facial recognition system which can assist in identifying wanted offenders.

“The technology involves the use of overt cameras which scan the faces of those passing by and flag up potential matches against a database of custody images.

“The database has been populated with images of individuals who are forbidden from attending Carnival, as well as individuals wanted by police who it is believed may attend Carnival to commit offences.

“If a match is made by the system, officers will be alerted and will seek to speak with the individual to verify their identity, making an arrest if necessary.

“The threat level for London has been set at ‘severe’ for some time now and remains at this level for Carnival 2016.

“Although there is no intelligence to suggest any increased threat to Carnival, police are asking anyone attending to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious.”

Isis claimed responsibility for the Nice attack perpetrated by suspected lone wolf attacker Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.

The terror group’s official radio station, al-Bayan, later warned “crusader states” in the West are not safe. Other senior Isis figures have also warned that civilians and crowds in the West are legitimate targets.

In May, Isis chief Abu Muhammad al-Adnani said: ““Know that inside the lands of the belligerent crusaders there is no sanctity of blood and no existence of those so-called innocents.

“Know that your targeting [of] those who are called ‘civilians’ is more beloved to us and more effective, as it is more harmful and painful and a greater deterrent to them. So go forth!”

Meanwhile, businesses and residents are spending thousands of pounds boarding up windows this weekend because recent Carnivals have been “blighted” by troublemakers, the local MP claimed today.

With two million people expected at the 50th Carnival, Tory Kensington MP Victoria Borwick branded it “a strain on hardworking business owners”.

Police carried out 500 operations in London this week to stop criminal and antisocial elements from attending the event, including raids on suspected drug dealers. A firearm, ammunition, drugs and machetes were found.

More than nine in 10 shops and firms in the Carnival area will shut down for the weekend and hire contractors to board up windows, Mrs Borwick said, at an average cost of £300, rising to £1,000 for larger stores.