Detectives have revealed the van three terrorists drove across London Bridge, hitting pedestrians with before stabbing passers-by, was hired in Harold Hill.
Khuram Shazad Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba, who were armed with knives, were all shot dead by police at 10.16pm on June 3 after they killed eight and injured 48 people.
On the evening of the attack, Butt hired a white Renault van using a recently-activated mobile phone.
The booking was for the period of 5.50pm on June to 10pm the following day - a text was received on his phone confirming the vehicle hire.
At around 6.30pm the three men drove a red Corsa to Harold Hill to pick up the van before going to an address in Barking where Zagbha lived.
They stayed in the property for a short while before leaving in the van at 7.38pm, heading into central London to carry out the attack.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses to the incident itself and have released images of the van with the registration plate number HN66 TKX.
Following the attack, specialist forensic officers examined the van and recovered a large quantity of items from it, including 13 wine bottles with rags wrapped around them and believed to be filled with a flammable liquid and two blow torches.
As well as these, there were gravel bags and several office chairs and a suitcase, which police understand the attackers had told family they were using the van to move as a cover story.
Police are now also appealing for information about the pink ceramic knives that were used.
The knives were found on or nearby the three attackers after police shot them dead.
The kitchen knives, each measuring 12in, are branded Ernesto and are ceramic rather than metal.
The attackers had wound duct tape around the handles and in Butt’s case, a leather strap had been attached to the handle and was hung around his wrist.
It is this knife that police have released images of.
Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, Commander Dean Haydon, said: “We’ve been working round the clock to understand what these men did in the lead-up to the attack but we need to know more about these unusual knives.
“Where have they come from? Where might the attackers have bought them from?
“If you know anything about these particular types of knives, please let us know - it could prove a crucial lead in our investigation.”
Anyone with information can call the police in confidence on 0800 789 321 or visit gov.uk/ACT and complete a secure form.
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