Police release images of London attacker's fake explosive belts

London police on Sunday released images of the fake explosive belts worn by three militants who killed eight people during attacks in central London a week before.

Metropolitan Police said each belt included three plastic water bottles covered in masking tape and that the belts were still attached to the suspects when they were shot dead.

"I have not seen this tactic in the UK before where terrorists create maximum fear by strapping fake explosives to themselves," Commander Dean Haydon, who is leading the investigation, was quoted as saying in a statement released on Sunday.

"It is hard to speculate what the motive was for wearing the belts. It could be that they had plans to take the attack into a siege situation or it might be that they saw it as protection from being shot themselves," he said in the statement.

Although Islamic State militants have claimed responsibility for the attack, Haydon said on Saturday there was no evidence the attackers, who had links to Libya, Morocco and Ireland, were directed by anyone else, either in Britain or abroad.