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London attack: Eight held after armed police raids | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Eight arrests have been made in raids in London, Birmingham and elsewhere following an attack in Westminster that left four dead, police have said. | |
Hundreds of detectives worked through the night, carrying out searches at six addresses, Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Rowley said. | |
The dead are PC Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade who worked at a London college, a man in his 50s and the attacker. | The dead are PC Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade who worked at a London college, a man in his 50s and the attacker. |
Seven of the injured are still in hospital in a critical condition. | Seven of the injured are still in hospital in a critical condition. |
A further 29 had been treated in hospital, Mr Rowley added. | A further 29 had been treated in hospital, Mr Rowley added. |
In the attack on Wednesday afternoon, a man drove a car along a pavement on Westminster Bridge knocking down pedestrians, creating panic and leaving dozens injured. | |
He then ran towards Parliament where he stabbed PC Palmer who was unarmed. Armed police then shot dead the attacker in the grounds. | He then ran towards Parliament where he stabbed PC Palmer who was unarmed. Armed police then shot dead the attacker in the grounds. |
Mrs Frade worked at a London sixth form college just a few hundred metres from Westminster Bridge. | Mrs Frade worked at a London sixth form college just a few hundred metres from Westminster Bridge. |
Principal at DLD College, Rachel Borland, said she was "highly regarded and loved by our students and by her colleagues". | Principal at DLD College, Rachel Borland, said she was "highly regarded and loved by our students and by her colleagues". |
'Every inch a hero' | |
In a statement to the House of Commons, Prime Minister Theresa May said the attacker had tried to silence democracy, saying it was an attack on free people everywhere. | |
Paying tribute to PC Palmer, she said: "He was every inch a hero and his actions will never be forgotten." | |
She revealed that the attacker, who acted alone, was British-born and was known to police and the intelligence services. | |
Some years ago he had been investigated by MI5 in relation to concerns about violent extremism, but he was a "peripheral figure" and was not part of the current intelligence picture, she said. | |
In a statement made outside Scotland Yard, Mr Rowley said seven arrests had been made - an eighth was announced several hours later. | |
"It is still our belief - which continues to be borne out by our investigation - that this attacker acted alone and was inspired by international terrorism. | "It is still our belief - which continues to be borne out by our investigation - that this attacker acted alone and was inspired by international terrorism. |
"To be explicit, at this stage we have no specific information about further threats to the public." | "To be explicit, at this stage we have no specific information about further threats to the public." |
He urged journalists not to publish the attacker's name while searches were continuing. | |
He said Londoners should expect to see more police officers on the streets, after officers' leave had been cancelled and duty hours extended. | He said Londoners should expect to see more police officers on the streets, after officers' leave had been cancelled and duty hours extended. |
It was initially thought that three members of the public had been killed on Westminster Bridge, but Mr Rowley referred to just two in his statement. | It was initially thought that three members of the public had been killed on Westminster Bridge, but Mr Rowley referred to just two in his statement. |
Director General of MI5 Andrew Parker condemned the attack as "appalling and disgusting". | |
The agency's operational response was "fully mobilised in support of the police", he said. | |
In other developments: | In other developments: |
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "working assumption" was that the attack was linked to "Islamic terrorism in some form". | Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "working assumption" was that the attack was linked to "Islamic terrorism in some form". |
He paid tribute to Pc Palmer, a 48-year-old father and husband, and an unarmed member of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Squad who had served for 15 years. | He paid tribute to Pc Palmer, a 48-year-old father and husband, and an unarmed member of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Squad who had served for 15 years. |
Pc Palmer stopped the attacker getting into Parliament and "gave his life for the democracy we all cherish", he told BBC Breakfast. | Pc Palmer stopped the attacker getting into Parliament and "gave his life for the democracy we all cherish", he told BBC Breakfast. |
Asked about the mood of the city, Sir Michael said: "London is getting back to normal. They've seen terrorism like this before and they are not going to let it triumph." | Asked about the mood of the city, Sir Michael said: "London is getting back to normal. They've seen terrorism like this before and they are not going to let it triumph." |
Brendan Cox, the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, said it was important to remember that "this was a story about people who didn't come home yesterday". | Brendan Cox, the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, said it was important to remember that "this was a story about people who didn't come home yesterday". |
US President Donald Trump was among world leaders to offer their support to Mrs May, tweeting: "Spoke to UK Prime Minister Theresa May today to offer condolences on the terrorist attack in London. She is strong and doing very well." | |
The Pope said in a letter to the Archbishop of Westminster that he had been "deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and the injuries" and "assured the nation of his prayers". | |
Analysis | Analysis |
By Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent | By Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent |
The carnage on Westminster Bridge and inside the grounds of Parliament is the attack that security chiefs here in the UK have long been preparing for. | The carnage on Westminster Bridge and inside the grounds of Parliament is the attack that security chiefs here in the UK have long been preparing for. |
Terrorism looks not just to kill and maim - but to create panic and such a sense of disorder that it rocks a city or nation to its foundations. | Terrorism looks not just to kill and maim - but to create panic and such a sense of disorder that it rocks a city or nation to its foundations. |
And this attacker sought to do so in as low-tech way as is possible. | And this attacker sought to do so in as low-tech way as is possible. |
The days when terrorism meant large, complex bombs and months of planning are gone: Western security agencies - particularly MI5 and its partner agencies - are very, very good at identifying those plots and disrupting them. | The days when terrorism meant large, complex bombs and months of planning are gone: Western security agencies - particularly MI5 and its partner agencies - are very, very good at identifying those plots and disrupting them. |
The longer it takes to plan such an attack, the more people who are involved, the more chances there will be for security services to learn what is going on. | The longer it takes to plan such an attack, the more people who are involved, the more chances there will be for security services to learn what is going on. |
Read more from Dominic | Read more from Dominic |
Have you been affected by recent events? If you are willing to do so, share with us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by recent events? If you are willing to do so, share with us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
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