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U.K. Police Arrest 7 After Attack Outside Parliament U.K. Police Arrest 7 After Attack Outside Parliament
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — The police in Britain raided addresses across the country on Thursday, detaining at least seven people, as the authorities pressed ahead with the fast-moving investigation into the terrorist attack outside Parliament, while holding to their view that the attacker had acted alone, inspired by international terrorism. LONDON — The police in Britain raided properties across the country on Thursday, detaining at least seven people, as the authorities pressed ahead with the fast-moving investigation into the terrorist attack outside Parliament, while holding to their view that the assailant had acted alone, inspired by international terrorism.
As Londoners returned to work on Thursday morning, and Parliament prepared to resume normal business, police officers were pursuing leads in the case. Mark Rowley, the assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said that officers had searched six addresses in London, Birmingham and elsewhere in Britain. As Londoners returned to work on Thursday morning, and Parliament resumed normal business with a debate on trade policy, police officers were pursuing leads in the case. Mark Rowley, the assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said that officers had searched six addresses in London, Birmingham and elsewhere in Britain.
The police also said that they had lowered the death toll in the attack on Wednesday from five to four, including the assailant, who drove his vehicle over pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and then fatally stabbed a police constable, Keith Palmer, 48. About 40 others were wounded.The police also said that they had lowered the death toll in the attack on Wednesday from five to four, including the assailant, who drove his vehicle over pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and then fatally stabbed a police constable, Keith Palmer, 48. About 40 others were wounded.
Questions continued to swirl over the assailant’s identity and whether he was part of a wider network, but Mr. Rowley declined to name him, say whether he was a British citizen or release any other information about him. “We’re dealing with an enemy, a terrorist enemy, that is not making demands or taking people hostage, but simply wants to kill as many people as possible,” the British defense secretary, Michael Fallon, told the BBC. “This is a new element to international terrorism.”
Mr. Rowley said that a large crime scene remained near Parliament and that the police would be sifting through CCTV footage as well as video evidence taken by witnesses. Mr. Fallon added that the police had “forestalled a large number of these attacks in recent years, over a dozen last year.”
He said that the investigation was focused on the assailant’s motive, on identifying his associates, and on the extent to which the attack was premeditated. Questions continued to swirl about the assailant. The authorities have declined to identify him, reveal his nationality or say whether he was part of a wider network.
Unsurprisingly for a multicultural city like London, people from several nationalities were among the victims, Mr. Rowley said. He appealed for calm, saying, “We must not allow terrorists to sow discord and fear in our city.” Mr. Rowley, the assistant commissioner, said that a large crime scene remained near Parliament and that the police would be sifting through CCTV footage as well as video evidence taken by witnesses. The investigation, he said, was focused on the assailant’s motive, on identifying his associates, and on the extent to which the attack was premeditated.
Members of Parliament were set to return to work, but the area around Parliament Square remained cordoned off to the public on Thursday morning. Unsurprisingly for a multicultural city like London where a moment of silence was held at 9:33 a.m. on Thursday, to be followed by a vigil in the evening people from several nationalities were among the victims, Mr. Rowley said. He appealed for calm, saying, “We must not allow terrorists to sow discord and fear in our city.”
Members of Parliament returned to work, but the area around Parliament Square remained cordoned off on Thursday morning.
A fire truck with flashing lights could still be seen parked along the square just outside the Palace of Westminster, while parts of two of London’s main roads — Whitehall and Millbank — were off limits.A fire truck with flashing lights could still be seen parked along the square just outside the Palace of Westminster, while parts of two of London’s main roads — Whitehall and Millbank — were off limits.
Runners and cyclists took detours, while employees of Parliament and government ministries, including the Ministry of Defense, were being allowed through the cordon only after identification checks by the police.Runners and cyclists took detours, while employees of Parliament and government ministries, including the Ministry of Defense, were being allowed through the cordon only after identification checks by the police.
Among those headed to work was 39-year-old Michael Torrance, a House of Lords official. Among those headed to work was 39-year-old Michael Torrance, a House of Lords official. Clutching a box of tea bags in his hand his office had quickly run out as politicians and their staff members hunkered down after being put on lockdown the day before Mr. Torrance said that the full magnitude of the attack on the Parliament area on Wednesday had not yet sunk in.
Clutching a box of tea bags in his hand — his office had quickly run out as politicians and their staff members hunkered down after being put on lockdown the day before — Mr. Torrance said that the full magnitude of the attack on the Parliament area on Wednesday had not yet sunk in.
“Everyone was in various states of shock,” he said. “Looking at it in context, up and until the late ’70s, it was a frequent target of I.R.A. attacks.”“Everyone was in various states of shock,” he said. “Looking at it in context, up and until the late ’70s, it was a frequent target of I.R.A. attacks.”
“Without sounding too fatalistic,” he added, “there was an air of inevitability about some kind of incident like this happening eventually. Parliament is obviously an iconic British institution, everyone was concerned, knew it was a target. Everyone’s alive to that.”“Without sounding too fatalistic,” he added, “there was an air of inevitability about some kind of incident like this happening eventually. Parliament is obviously an iconic British institution, everyone was concerned, knew it was a target. Everyone’s alive to that.”
Mr. Torrance noted that “everyone wanted to be as normal as possible,” and that sentiment seemed to be shared across the city early Thursday morning, as Londoners went to work as usual. Many clutched newspapers, with lurid headlines and photographs detailing the bloody attacks from the day before.Mr. Torrance noted that “everyone wanted to be as normal as possible,” and that sentiment seemed to be shared across the city early Thursday morning, as Londoners went to work as usual. Many clutched newspapers, with lurid headlines and photographs detailing the bloody attacks from the day before.
Prime Minister Theresa May, who told Britons in a speech on Wednesday that life would go on and that the country must not cave into terrorism, was expected in an address to Parliament to pay tribute to the victims of the attack and to the shows of heroism by law enforcement officers. Prime Minister Theresa May told Britons in a speech on Wednesday that life would go on and that the country must not cave into terrorism, and Londoners seemed to be taking the attacks in stride.
At least three police officers were among those wounded on the bridge. Also among the wounded were three 10th-grade boys from a group of students visiting from the Brittany region of France, and a woman who fell or plunged into the River Thames. “As I was coming in through the Tube, I noticed there was a great air of calm,” said Elizabeth Sweeney, 57, who works at the European Parliament and was in London at the time of the attack. “That was the overriding sense that I had, first thing.”
Law enforcement officials said the police were now focused on analyzing the background and the motive of the attacker. Roy Ramm, who spent nearly three decades in the Metropolitan Police and was commander of specialist operations, said that once officers had identified the attacker, they would be moving backward, using CCTV footage to track his movements throughout the day. Mrs. May was expected in an address to Parliament on Thursday to pay tribute to the victims of the attack and to the shows of heroism by law enforcement officers.
Mr. Ramm said that another team would simultaneously be researching his background and the background of his associates, and looking to see if he had ever been subject to surveillance or on watch lists. At least three police officers were among those wounded on the bridge. Also among the wounded were three 10th-grade boys from a group of students visiting from the Brittany region of France, and a woman who fell or plunged into the River Thames. A spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Thursday that because three of the victims were French, it had opened an investigation into attempted murder in relation to a terrorist enterprise.
Part of the investigation, law enforcement officials said, would be focused on the vehicle used by the assailant, a Hyundai Tucson, which has already offered up some clues: It was registered in Chelmsford, Essex, to the east of London, and may have been rented in Birmingham, one of the places where the police conducted raids overnight. Law enforcement officials said that the police were now focused on analyzing the background and the motive of the attacker. Roy Ramm, who spent nearly three decades in the Metropolitan Police and was commander of specialist operations, said that once officers had identified the attacker, they would be moving backward, using CCTV footage to track his movements throughout the day.
Mr. Ramm said that another team would simultaneously be researching the assailant’s background and the background of his associates, and looking to see if he had ever been subject to surveillance or on watch lists.
Although the death toll was far lower, the attack brought to mind Islamic State attacks using vehicles in Berlin and in Nice, France. Part of the investigation in London, law enforcement officials said, would be focused on the car used by the assailant, a Hyundai Tucson, which has already offered up some clues: It was registered in Chelmsford, Essex, to the east of London, and may have been rented in Birmingham, one of the places where the police conducted raids overnight.
Mr. Ramm said that the vehicle would be given a major forensic examination, including checks for fingerprints and DNA to identify anyone else who might have been in the vehicle. “This is a lot of work and a big test,” he said.Mr. Ramm said that the vehicle would be given a major forensic examination, including checks for fingerprints and DNA to identify anyone else who might have been in the vehicle. “This is a lot of work and a big test,” he said.
Questions were already being raised as to how a knife-wielding attacker had been able to get so close to the houses of Parliament, the center of British democracy. Several members of Parliament asked how the assailant had been able to enter the area below the iconic Big Ben and called for the security gaps to be plugged.