Sir John Stevens thanked the Muslim community

The public response follows Sir John's warning in March that an attack on London was inevitable, he said.

At the Society of Editors' conference in Newcastle, the UK's top police officer thanked the Muslim community for its 'considerable' support.

He is to visit mosques to encourage them 'to give us more', Sir John added.

Maintaining the confidence of British Muslims is vital to defeating terrorism," he said, adding he would be "running" around to mosques this week "encouraging them to give us more".

"I have said for many years that it is communities that defeat terrorism."

'Bobbies on beat'

The commissioner - who is to retire in January - also repeated his warning to people "to to be alert, not alarmed" about the inevitability of a terrorist attack in the capital.

His force's successes in the fight against terror so far could not be publicised, he said, or forthcoming court trials would be jeopardised.

"I would like to climb up Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square and tell the world about our successes but we cannot do it," he said.

The force also plans changes to get more officers back on the beat in a bid to gather more intelligence on the ground.

"We are looking to have a relationship with communities in some of our most difficult wards which will allow us to be trusted and gain information in relation to terrorism," he said.