London terror attack: what we know so
far
Seven people have died after a
terrorist attack at London Bridge and Borough Market. Here is what we know so
far
Sunday 4 June 2017 17.49 BST First published on Sunday 4
June 2017 00.28 BST
Seven people have been killed and dozens injured during
attacks in two closely connected areas of London on Saturday night. The police
are treating the attacks as terrorist incidents.
Police were called after a white rental van ploughed into
pedestrians on London Bridge at about 9.58pm on Saturday night. The van
continued on to nearby Borough Market where three attackers emerged and carried
out multiple stabbings in pubs and restaurants.
Armed police arrived and shot the attackers dead within 8
minutes of being alerted. The attackers were armed with knives and wore what
turned out to be fake suicide vests.
Britain’s top anti-terrorism officer, Metropolitan police
assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, said detectives are urgently investigating
if the three perpetrators were part of network. He said: “Work is ongoing to
understand more about [the three attackers], about their connections and about
whether they were assisted or supported by anyone else.”
The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said a Canadian
national was among those killed in the attack.
A French man is among those killed in last night’s attack,
the foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, has confirmed. Seven people from France
were injured in last night’s attack, four of them critically. One person is
still missing.
There were multiple casualties in addition to the deaths,
with London Ambulance Service saying at least 48 people have been taken to five
hospitals in the capital. The NHS said on Sunday that 21 were in a critical
condition.
Eight armed police officers fired an estimated 50 rounds in
the incident - an unprecedented number for the UK. One member of the public was
caught in the gunfire when a bullet struck a man in the head. A senior doctor
at the Royal London hospital in east London said the man was expected to make a
full recovery.
A British Transport police officer armed only with his baton
was stabbed in the face as he tackled the assailants. He suffered serious
injuries, but is in a stable condition in hospital. An off-duty Metropolitan
police officer was among others injured in the attack. Two more on-duty
officers were described as “walking wounded”.
At least one Australian citizen has been injured, according to
the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and there are reports of a second.
Candice Hedge from Brisbane was stabbed in the neck and is recovering after
being treated in St Thomas’s hospital. A man from New Zealand also suffered
serious wounds in the attack. At least four French citizens were harmed, one
seriously. Geoff Ho, a journalist with the Sunday Express, was left in
intensive care after being stabbed in the throat when he tried to help a
wounded bouncer.
The Met have arrested 12 people after an operation in
Barking in east London. On Sunday morning, police raided a block of flats in
the area where at least one of the suspects is thought to have lived. A
forensic investigation is under way at that site. Another raid, at a flat in
nearby East Ham, followed in the afternoon.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street after she had chaired a
meeting of Cobra, the government’s emergency committee, Theresa May condemned
Islamist extremism and called the ideology a “perversion of Islam”. She said
there was “a new trend in the threat we face” with terrorism breeding
terrorism. “It is time to say enough is enough,” she added.
The prime minister said there must be changes on four
fronts: first, people who are drawn to Islamist extremism must be persuaded
that western values are superior. Second, there must be a clampdown on the
“safe spaces” on the internet where terrorism breeds. Third, she called for
action at home where extremism may be tolerated. “There is – to be frank – far
too much tolerance of extremism in our country,” she said. Finally, she
proposed a review of counter-terrorism strategy and laws, and suggested longer
sentences for some offences. She confirmed that the general election will go
ahead on Thursday as planned.
Jeremy Corbyn delivered a speech on the attack in Carlisle
on Sunday evening. He said that, if he wins the election, he will commission a
report on Friday on the changing nature of the terrorist threat. He also used
the speech to criticise Theresa May for ignoring warnings about the impact of police
cuts, as well as to criticise President Trump for his comments about the London
Bridge attack.
Cressida Dick, the Met police commissioner, said police
officers had conducted a thorough search of the area. She paid tribute to the
police, emergency services and members of the public who came to the aid of the
injured and confronted the attackers.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) at MI5
headquarters has recommended not to raise the official threat level from severe
to critical, suggesting that they believe no more terrorists are at large.
The UK will observe a minute’s silence on Tuesday 6 June at
11am in remembrance of those who have lost their lives and all others affected
by the attacks. Flags will remain at half-mast on Whitehall government
buildings until Tuesday evening.
The Home Office has set up a website with information about
the support available for people affected by the attacks.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS foundation hospital said it had
been put “on lockdown” to keep patients, relatives and staff safe.
A statement from the office of the French president,
Emmanuel Macron, confirmed that French citizens were among the injured and
condemned “an abominable and cowardly attack against our free society”.
Pictures have been circulating showing a suspect on the
ground in the market; he appears to have canisters strapped to his body. Police
say those canisters were part of a fake suicide vest. The use of fake bomb
vests was designed to “spread panic and fear”, the prime minister said.
Authorities responded to a third incident, a stabbing at
Vauxhall, but this was not connected to the events around London Bridge.
Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP
have suspended national campaigning for the general election. Ukip, however,
has not. Its leader, Paul Nuttall, said it was because “this is precisely what
the extremists would want us to do”.
Donald Trump lashes out at Sadiq Khan
over London terror attacks
James Rothwell
4 JUNE 2017 • 3:24PM
President Trump has launched a scathing attack on Sadiq
Khan, the mayor of London, over his reaction to the attacks in Borough Market
and on London Bridge.
"At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and
Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!" Mr Trump
wrote on Twitter on Sunday afternoon.
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of
London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!"
1:31 PM - 4 Jun 2017
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Retweets 124,909 124,909 likes
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Mr Trump then observed that the incident in London has not
triggered a debate on gun control, and that this was because the attackers were
carrying knives and not firearms.
A few hours after sending the tweets, Mr Trump reportedly
left the White House to play a round of golf.
Donald J. Trump ✔
@realDonaldTrump
Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now?
That's because they used knives and a truck!
1:43 PM - 4 Jun 2017
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The president was referring to a statement by Mr Khan
earlier this morning which said he was "grieving" for the victims and
insisted that terrorists "would not win."
"Londoners will see an increased police presence today
and over the course of the next few days. There's no reason to be
alarmed," Mr Khan said.
He went on to condemn the attack in the strongest possible
terms and ask for people to remain vigilant.
Mr Trump's comments were instantly ridiculed on social
media.
Police forensics investigators work on London Bridge and
Borough Market
Police forensics investigators work on London Bridge and
Borough Market
"Cheap, nasty and unbecoming of a national
leader," said the Labour parliamentary candidate David Lammy.
Some Conservative politicians including Penny Mordaunt stood
up for the Labour Mayor.
A spokesman for Mr Khan said: "The mayor is busy
working with the police, emergency services and the Government to co-ordinate
the response to this horrific and cowardly terrorist attack and provide leadership
and reassurance to Londoners and visitors to our city.
"He has more important things to do than respond to
Donald Trump's ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his
remarks urging Londoners not to be alarmed when they saw more police -
including armed officers - on the streets."
Nick Hurd ✔ @NickHurdUK
I am also guilty of tweeting approval of a Labour Mayor's
excellent statement on behalf of Londoners
https://twitter.com/artistsmakers/status/871323923782279168 …
1:28 PM - 4 Jun 2017
Penny Mordaunt ✔
@PennyMordaunt
Here's what @SadiqKhan actually said. He is right to provide
reassurance. I'm standing with resilient London & him.
3:00 PM - 4 Jun 2017
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David Lammy ✔
@DavidLammy
Cheap nasty & unbecoming of a national leader. Sort of
thing that makes me want to quit politics on a day like this. Evil everywhere
we look https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/871328428963901440 …
2:14 PM - 4 Jun 2017
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9h
Mike P Williams ✔
@Mike_P_Williams
@realDonaldTrump I expect the rightwing bigots and
Islamophobes to say shit like this but you're the presi-never mind.
Mike P Williams ✔
@Mike_P_Williams
@realDonaldTrump How dare you attack our Mayor. Britain is
meant to be your closest ally, but instead you're taking swipes on social
media. Ridiculous.
1:51 PM - 4 Jun 2017
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Scott Simon ✔
@nprscottsimon
I'd urge all to see what @MayorofLondon said in full. It was
the essence of London pluckiness & will aid his great city.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/871328428963901440 …
1:54 PM - 4 Jun 2017
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Sam Baxter @SamJB92
Utterly horrid man. Wonder how he'd react if Theresa May put
snarky tweets out during a mass shooting in the US?
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/871331574649901056 …
1:53 PM - 4 Jun 2017
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It is not the first time a member of the Trump family has
criticised the Mayor of London for his stance on security and terrorism.
Mr Khan gave an interview in September 2016 in which he said
terror attacks were "part and parcel" of living in a major city.
He was referring to a bombing in New York and stressed the
importance of cities being well prepared for such attacks.
But shortly after the Westminster attack, Donald Trump
Junior, the president's son, posted a link on Twitter to the September 2016
interview with the caption: “You have to be kidding me?!”.
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