Seven arrested hours after London ‘terror’ attack near parliament

The British Metropolitan Police’s acting deputy commissioner and head of counter terrorism, Mark Rowley said seven have been arrested in the investigation into the London attack. Justin Tallis / AFP PhotoShow less

LONDON // British police arrested seven people on Thursday in the investigation into an attacker who killed three people and injured about 40 before being shot to death by police, Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer said.

Mark Rowley said the latest figures were that there were four dead including the attacker and 29 people being treated in hospital, seven of whom were in a critical condition. Police had said on Wednesday that the death toll was five.

Mr Rowley said police had searched addresses in London, Birmingham and other parts of the country in their investigation.

“It is still our belief ... that this attacker acted alone and was inspired by international terrorism. At this stage we have no specific information about further threats to the public,” Mr Rowley said.

He said there was a mix of nationalities among the dead but gave no details. The victims were a policeman who was stabbed and two members of the public, a woman in her mid-40s and a man in his mid-50s.

The fourth dead was the assailant.

The attacker’s car struck pedestrians on the bridge before crashing into the railings surrounding the heavily guarded Houses of Parliament, sowing first shock then panic in the British capital.

The assailant then ran through the gates brandishing a knife and stabbed a 48-year-old policeman to death before being shot dead by another officer.

Prime minister Theresa May described the attack as “sick and depraved” in an address in which she affirmed that lawmakers would return to parliament on Thursday.

Standing outside her Downing Street residence after an emergency cabinet meeting, Mrs May said Britain’s alert level would be unchanged.

“We will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart,” she said, dressed in black.

The prime minister was in parliament at the time of the attack and was seen being ushered away in a silver car as what sounded like gunfire rang out, British media reported.

The GCC countries condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the British government and families of victims.

Its secretary-general Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani called the attack “a horrific crime that is contrary to all moral and humanitarian values and principles”.

The UAE affirmed its support for the UK, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation saying: “The UAE stands in solidarity with the government and people of the friendly United Kingdom in confronting terrorism. It also rejects and denounces any criminal acts, regardless of any justifications.”

Mr Rowley said the four victims included a policeman guarding parliament and three members of the public.

“Islamist-related terrorism is our assumption,” he said.

__________________________________

■ In pictures: London under attack

__________________________________

The senior counter-terrorism officer said investigators believe they know the identity of the assailant and police would be examining the scene of the attack through the night.

Queen Elizabeth postponed her appearance on Thursday to open the new headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police, where the force’s flag was flown at half-mast following the incident.

The attack came a year to the day after ISIL extremists killed 32 people in twin bomb attacks in Brussels and after a series of deadly assaults in Europe.

Parliament was locked down for several hours and hundreds of lawmakers and visitors were later evacuated to nearby Westminster Abbey and the Metropolitan Police headquarters.

An air ambulance flew in and police cordoned off a large area, while tourists on the London Eye, a popular visitor attraction, were stuck up to 135 metres in the air for more than an hour during the incident.

“I saw three bodies lying on the ground and a whole lot of police. It was pretty terrifying,” said Jack Hutchinson, 16, from the United States, who was stranded on the observation wheel with his parents.

MP Tobias Ellwood, centre, tries to revive the policeman fatally stabbed in the attack. Stefan Rousseau / PA via AP Photo

Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood, whose brother Jonathan was killed in the 2002 Bali bombing, was pictured with his face smeared with blood helping to give first aid to the fatally wounded police officer.

The last terrorist attack in Britain was the assassination of MP Jo Cox by a pro-Nazi sympathiser in her constituency in northern England in June 2016.

The worst previous attack in London was in 2005 when four British suicide bombers inspired by Al Qaeda targeted the transport system, killing 52 people.

* Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Associated Press and Wam