The man who masterminded the attack on British Parliament has been identified as a bearded man in his 40s. Scotland Yard is yet to release his details though London Mayor called it a likely terror attack. The toll in the attack is five, including a policeman.
In a suspected terror attack in the heart of London, a bearded man deliberately mowed down people on the iconic Westminister Bridge killing three people and wounding 40 others. The toll now stands at five, including the attacker who died in a local hospital.
The lone wolf attack is suspected to be Islamist-inspired.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley says it is believed the attacker was inspired by international terrorism.
Eyewitnesses said three victims were hit by the car driven by the attacker as it sped across Westminster Bridge before it crashed into railings just outside parliament.
He then got off the car and stabbed a policeman identified as Keith Palmer. The Parliament was locked down and a search was conducted for any other assailants in the area.
Among the people injured by the car on Westminster Bridge are three French schoolchildren and two Romanians. No Indian was injured.
Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the attack as “sick and depraved”. She said such attempts to undermine British values are ‘doomed to failure’
Following the incident, the New York Police Department beefed up security at the British Consulate General and the U.K. Mission to the United Nations in New York.
Leaders of countries affected by recent terror attacks have voiced solidarity with the UK after the deadly attack.
US President Donald Trump spoke by phone to British Prime Minister Theresa May to offer his condolences and to praise the effective response of UK security services.
He pledged the “full co-operation and support” of the US government in bringing those responsible for the attack to justice, the White House said in a statement.
India stands by UK ; terrorism must be met through collective action by international community, said President Pranab Mukherjee.
In his condolence message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “At this difficult moment, India stands with UK in the fight against terrorism. Deeply saddened by the terror attack in London. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families”.
In Paris, the lights of the Eiffel Tower went out from midnight in a tribute to the victims.
President Francois Hollande expressed his “solidarity” with the British people, saying “terrorism concerns us all and France knows how the British people are suffering today”.
In July last year, a man drove a lorry into pedestrians in the southern French city of Nice, killing 84 people. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country saw a lorry attack in December that killed 12 people in Berlin and was also claimed by IS, said her thoughts were “with our British friends and all of the people of London”.
“I want to say for Germany and its citizens: we stand firmly and resolutely by Great Britain’s side in the fight against all forms of terrorism,” she added.
Saying his thoughts were “with London tonight”, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker recalled it was the first anniversary of the Brussels attacks.
People make the shape of a heart with their hands as they stand for a moment of silence at the Bourse during the one-year anniversary for Brussels attacks victims in Brussels, 22 March.