Three attackers drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing revelers
nearby on Saturday night, killing seven people in what Britain called the work of Islamist
militants engaged in a new trend of terrorism.
London Metropolitan Police said on Sunday 12 people had been arrested in the Barking
district of east London in connection with the attack, which also injured at least 48
people, and raids were continuing there.
The attack occurred five days ahead of a parliamentary election and was the third to hit Britain
in less than three months.
Prime Minister Theresa May said the election would go ahead as planned on Thursday.
"It is time to say enough is enough," she said in a televised statement outside her
Downing Street office, where flags few at half-mast.
"We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are," May said, calling
for a strengthened counter-terrorism strategy that could include longer jail sentences for
some offenses and new cyberspace regulations.
Less than two weeks ago, a suicide bomber killed 22 children and adults at a concert
by U.S. singer Ariana Grande in Manchester in northern England.
In March, in a attack similar to Saturday's, five people died after a man drove into pedestrians
on Westminster Bridge in central London and stabbed a policeman.
On Saturday night, police shot dead the three male assailants in the Borough Market area
near London Bridge within eight minutes of receiving the first emergency call shortly
after 10 p.m. local time.
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as the attackers' white van veered on and off
the bridge sidewalk, hitting people along the way, and the three men then ran into an
area packed with bars and restaurants, stabbing people indiscriminately.
Accounts emerged of people trying to barricade themselves in a pub while others tried throwing
tables and other objects to fend off the attackers.
Police raided a building in the Barking district of east London on Sunday.
Sky News reported it was the address of one of the attackers and a witness told the TV
channel that residents had heard controlled explosions early in the morning.
NOT CONNECTED TO MANCHESTER, WESTMINSTER ATTACKS "We believe we are experiencing a new trend
in the threat we face as terrorism breeds terrorism," May said.
"Perpetrators are inspired to attack not only on the basis of carefully constructed plots
... and not even as lone attackers radicalized online, but by copying one another and often
using the crudest of means of attack."
She said the series of attacks were not connected in terms of planning and execution, but were
inspired by what she called a "single, evil ideology of Islamist extremism" that represented
a perversion of Islam and of the truth.
She said this ideology had to be confronted both abroad and at home.
"While we have made significant progress in recent years, there is - to be frank - far
too much tolerance of extremism in our country," she said, without elaborating.
U.S. President Donald Trump, taking to Twitter on Sunday, urged the world to stop being "politically
correct" in order to ensure public security against terrorism.
Most of the main political parties suspended national campaigning on Sunday, but May said
campaigning would resume on Monday.
The anti-European Union UK Independence Party said it would not suspend campaigning because
disrupting democracy was what the extremists wanted.
London Bridge is a major transport hub and nearby Borough Market is a fashionable warren
of alleyways packed with bars and restaurants that is always bustling on a Saturday night.
The area remained cordoned off and patrolled by armed police and counter-terrorism officers
on Sunday, with train stations closed.
Forensic investigators could be seen working on the bridge, where buses and taxis stood
abandoned.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Ariana Grande and other music stars were due to give a benefit concert at Manchester's
Old Trafford cricket ground on Sunday evening to raise funds for victims of the concert
bombing and their families.
Police said the event would go ahead as planned, but security would be increased.
"Today's One Love Manchester benefit concert will not only continue, but will do so with
greater purpose," Grande's manager, Scooter Braun, said on Twitter after the London attack.
FAKE EXPLOSIVE VESTS The three attackers on Saturday night were
wearing what looked like explosive vests that were later found to have been fake.
May said the assailants' aim had been to sow panic.
The BBC showed a photograph of two possible attackers shot by police, one of whom had
canisters strapped to his body.
Islamist militants have carried out dozens of deadly attacks in Europe, the United States,
Middle East and Asia over the past two years.
The London Ambulance Service said 48 people had been taken to five hospitals across the
capital and a number of others had been treated at the scene for minor injuries.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said some of those who had been injured were in a critical condition.
He said the official threat level in Britain remained at severe, meaning a militant attack
is highly likely.
It had been raised to critical after the Manchester attack, then lowered again days later.
"One of the things we can do is show that we aren't going to be cowed is by voting on
Thursday and making sure that we understand the importance of our democracy, our civil
liberties and our human rights," Khan said.
Roy Smith, a police officer who was at the scene during the unfolding emergency, expressed
his shock on Twitter.
"Started shift taking photos with children playing on the South Bank.
Ended it giving CPR to innocent victims attacked at London Bridge," he wrote, adding a broken
heart emoji.
Islamic State, losing territory in Syria and Iraq to an advance backed by a U.S-led coalition,
had sent out a call on instant messaging service Telegram early on Saturday urging its followers
to launch attacks with trucks, knives and guns against "Crusaders" during the Muslim
holy month of Ramadan.
Trump, in other tweets, offered help to Britain and also leveled apparent criticism of Khan
for saying there was no need to be alarmed.
Khan had earlier said Londoners would see an increased police presence on the streets
of the city and people should not be alarmed by that.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir
Putin, were among those who sent messages of condolences and made statements of solidarity.
Pope Francis invited thousands of pilgrims who attended mass in St. Peter's Square in
Vatican City on Sunday to pray for the victims of the London attack.
Four French nationals were among those injured in the London attack, French officials said.
Australia said two of its citizens were caught up in it and one of them was in hospital.
The Manchester bombing on May 22 was the deadliest attack in Britain since July 2005, when four
British Muslim suicide bombers killed 52 people in coordinated assaults on London's transport
network. )
For more infomation >> "All you need is love", con Raúl EvoluXion y Risto Mejide - Duration: 6:07. 
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét