Updated 8pm
TWENTY ONE OF the 48 people injured in last night’s terror attack in London are in a critical condition, according to NHS England.
Seven people were killed in the terrorist attack last night. Three suspected attackers were shot dead by police. Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said:
We have 36 people remaining in hospital suffering from a range of injuries, some of these are extremely serious and 21 remain in a critical condition.
One Canadian national and one Frenchman were among the fatalities and seven French citizens were injured.
An Australian was among those hospitalised, while a Spaniard was slightly wounded.
No details have been released about the suspects, who were shot dead within minutes by police. Detectives were still investigating whether the assailants acted alone, but Rowley said he was “increasingly confident that this attack was conducted by three individuals”.
A police raid took place in East Ham and earlier today 12 people were arrested today in Barking, east London, in connection with the incident.
Sky News is reporting that a property raided by police belonged to one of the killers. A number of women were led away from an address in Barking in handcuffs.
Shortly after 10pm yesterday, a white van struck a number of pedestrians on London Bridge. The vehicle then drove a short distance to Borough Market where its occupants got out and stabbed a number of people.
Armed officers, responding to the first calls about the incident made at 10.08pm, confronted the three men, shooting them dead at Borough Market.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that the suspects had been shot dead within eight minutes of them receiving initial knowledge of the attack.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said this afternoon that eight firearms officers disarmed their weapons and that 50 bullets were fired.
He added that a member of the public received a gunshot wound and that they are being treated in hospital, but their injuries are not critical.
The suspects were wearing what looked like homemade-explosive vests but Assistant Commissioner Rowley confirmed these were hoaxes.
The current threat level for international terrorism in the UK is “severe”, which means an attack is “highly likely”.
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Cressida Dick, the Met Police Commissioner, addressed the media this morning. She confirmed the death toll had risen to seven people.
Dick said: “I appreciate this has been a terrifying experience for many people.”
She praised the “extraordinarily brave actions” of police officers, both on and off duty, and emergency services.
“I also heard of colleagues of other emergency services and members of the public who ran towards the danger as the incident unfolded.
Many, many people risked their own safety to help others and to treat those seriously injured and indeed to confront suspects involved.
“The courage of those people during and following the attack was extraordinary and I pay tribute to all of them who came to the aid of those in need during this dreadful attack, and I am sure helped to save lives.”
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A minute’s silence will be held at 11am on Tuesday to pay tribute to those killed and injured in last night’s terror attack in London.
It will be marked at all government buildings and flags will remain at half-mast at Whitehall until Tuesday evening.
Speaking outside No 10 Downing Street earlier, British Prime Minister Theresa May said: “We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are, things need to change…
There is far too much tolerance of extremism in our country.
May said the three terrorist attacks the UK has experienced in the last three months – two in London and one in Manchester – are not connected but highlight a new trend, noting: “Terrorism breeds terrorism.”
She described the ideology of Islamist extremism behind the attacks as a “perversion of Islam” and said defeating it is “one of the great challenges of our time”.
May said military intervention alone won’t stop the spread of violent extremism, noting the need to tackle “safe spaces” for extremists online. She said the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy needs to be reviewed, as does the possibility of increasing prison terms for terrorism-related offences.
Leaders of the Muslim Council of Britain have backed comments by Theresa May saying “enough is enough”. It says it will be stepping up efforts to curb Islamic extremism in Britain.
May also praised police officers, emergency services and members of the public for their bravery last night, saying her thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.
As a mark of respect, the main political parties are suspending general election campaigning today. However, May said campaigning will resume tomorrow and the election will go ahead as planned on Thursday, adding that attacks like this cannot disrupt the democratic process.
The Associated Press has reported that the Prime Minister has visited some of the victims in hospital.
Police officer injured
Earlier, Rowley said among the 48 people injured is a British Transport Police officer who was stabbed while on duty – and responding to the incident – at Borough Market. His family have been told his injuries are serious but not life-threatening.
“We are treating this as a terrorist incident and a full investigation is already underway, led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command,” Rowley added in his statement, repeating a request for the public to stay away from the London Bridge and Borough Market areas.
“Our thoughts are with all those involved and those responding to both incidents. Those who are concerned about a loved one can contact the Casualty Bureau on 0800 0961 233.
We are reviewing and planning to strengthen our policing stance across London over the forthcoming days, and there will be additional police and officers deployed across the capital.
“I would like to ask the public to remain vigilant and let us know if they see anything suspicious that causes them concern and dial 999 immediately.”
London’s Ambulance Service said its 80 medics brought 48 people to five hospitals across the city, while treating dozens more at the scene for less serious injuries.
Scotland Yard has also issued a request for anyone with images or video from the incidents to upload them here.
Eyewitness accounts
The van at London Bridge deliberately swerved into groups of people at speed, eyewitnesses said.
“I saw this van going left and right, left and right, trying to catch as many people as he could,” one person told BBC radio. “There were five or six people that we tried to help, they were young people.”
Another man who was in the middle of London Bridge, taking pictures of Tower Bridge, when the incident happened said the van “was swerving from side to side. I could see it hitting people”.
“It hit one person about 20 foot in the air. Poor girl. I just saw her bounce up in the air.
There must have been about five or six people on the ground, they must have been seriously injured.
London resident Dee, 26, told AFP: “There was a man with a knife, he was running, he came down the stairs and went to a bar.”
After the van crashed right by Southwark Cathedral, the stabbing spree began, with the attackers descending into Borough Market, a popular area of trendy bars and restaurants on the south side of the bridge.
A taxi driver told LBC radio he saw men brandishing long knives emerging from the van. “Three men got out with long blades, 12 inches long and went randomly … stabbing people.”
Another man saw the trio get out of the van and thought they were going to help those who had been hit. However, he said they were “kicking them, punching them, and took out knives. It was a rampage”.
Manchester attack
The attack has been condemned by political leaders, with Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar saying the fact it came so soon after the Manchester bombing, in which 22 people died two weeks ago, “only adds to the horror”.
Constable Garry Shewan, Assistant Chief with Greater Manchester Police, said:
“We’re deeply saddened to hear about last night’s horrific attacks in London and our thoughts are with everyone affected, including the emergency services responding to the incident.
US pop star Ariana Grande, whose concert was targeted in the Manchester attack, is performing at a star-studded benefit concert in the city tonight.
The One Love Manchester benefit concert has opened with the words “let’s not be afraid”.
Marcus Mumford from the group Mumford and Sons was the first performer at the gig – which will also see Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry take to the stage.
Shewan said: “There are two large-scale events taking place in greater Manchester today and we would like to assure people that these will still take place, but with additional security in place to ensure the safety of everyone.
“We have dedicated resources at both events, with a significant number of officers from both GMP and colleagues from other forces, some of which will be armed. There will be additional security checks taking place and everyone will be searched, including bags. We would ask people not to bring bags if they can, as this will help speed up entry.
I’d like to remind people that the threat level remains at severe, which means an attack is highly likely.
“Please remain vigilant at all times and report anything suspicious that causes you concern to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321 or 999 in an emergency.”
In Ireland, people attending events such as the Forbidden Fruit music festival have been told that no backpacks will be allowed on site as an added security measure.
Contains reporting from Órla Ryan, Cliódhna Russell and © AFP 2017.
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