Was Islamist terror cell theory a set-up?

Last week’s sweaty-palmed series opener was almost a two-hander between Afghan war veterans “Wash” and “Nut”. We now met the wider cast of characters at New Scotland Yard. Head of SO15 counter-terrorism branch, Commander Bregman (Ralph “Finchy from The Office” Ineson – great bloke, great rep), wanted an update on the Westhaven case.

We heard how Andy Phelan, who’d been strapped into a suicide belt at gunpoint, was a far-right activist. Alleging that his masked assailants spoke a mix of English and Arabic, Phelan claimed to be the victim of an Islamist terror cell. They’d planted a dummy bomb inside the property to lure in emergency services and force an evacuation, before setting off the main device outside to maximise casualties.

Lana was unconvinced. Such sophisticated tactics suggested they were highly organised professionals, rather than an amateur cell. Bomb data analyst Sonya Reeves (the reliably excellent Kerry Godliman) concurred, pointing out that the white colouration of the blast indicated pure-burn explosives and skilled manufacturing methods. Their conflab were interrupted by Lana’s boss, DSU Marianne Hamilton (Nadine Marshall), promoting her to senior bomb disposal officer as Nutkins’ replacement. Bittersweet, to say the least.