It appears that London Bridge has unfortunately become the site of another horrific terrorist attack with possible Islamist motivations.
According to reports, two people were killed and three others injured Friday by a knife-wielding assailant near the bridge. The suspect was ultimately tackled by quick-thinking bystanders and fatally shot by local police.
Terror attack in London
Saturday afternoon, Metropolitan Police were called to an incident that was taking place in the immediate vicinity of London Bridge.
“Police were called at 1:58pm to a stabbing at premises near to London Bridge,” a police spokesman stated. “Emergency services attended, including officers from the Met and City of London Police. A man has been detained by police. We believe a number of people have been injured. Further info to follow.”
More details were soon provided by BBC correspondent John McManus, who was at the scene.
“Just a few minutes ago I was walking across London Bridge on the south bank to the north bank of the bridge,” he reported. “There appeared to be a fight going on the other side of the bridge, with several men attacking one man. Police then quickly arrived, including armed police, and then a number of shots were fired at this man.”
The suspect, 28-year-old Usman Khan, was said to be wearing a fake explosive vest. Although his precise motivations remain unclear, police are now treating the attack as a terror-related incident, as it has now been revealed that Khan had a prior conviction on a terror-related charge and has been linked to radical Islamic preacher Anjem Choudary.
Showing support
London Mayor Sadiq Khan released a statement condemning the attack.
“The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that as a precaution the horrendous incident at London Bridge is being treated as though its s terrorism-related,” Kahn wrote. “We must — and we will — stay resolute in our determination to stand strong and united in the face of terror. Those who seek to attack us and divide us will never succeed.”
The White House released its own statement on the matter through Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere.
“President Trump has been briefed on this morning’s attack at the London Bridge and is monitoring the situation,” Deere tweeted. “The United States strongly condemns all horrific acts of violence on innocent people, and we pledge our full support to our Ally, the United Kingdom.”
This attack is now the second terror-related attack on the bridge in recent years. The last one occurred in 2017 when three men drove a vehicle into a crowd of pedestrians before stabbing multiple bystanders in an incident that killed eight people and injured 48 others.
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