June 3, 2017

ENGLAND: Islamists Mowed Down Pedestrians With Van On London Bridge. 3 Jumped Out Of Van And Went On Stabbing Spree At Nearby Borough Market. 7 MURDERED, 48 Injured.

The Boston Globe
written by Danica Kirka and Jill Lawless, AP
Saturday June 3, 2017

LONDON — London’s police say six people died and 30 were injured in the attacks in the center of London. Police shot dead three suspects.

The Metropolitan Police’s head of counter-terrorism Mark Rowley said early Sunday that police believe all the attackers were killed but are conducting further investigation to make certain this is the case.

Rowley says the suspects were confronted and shot by police ‘‘within eight minutes of the first call.’’

Rowley says the three attackers were wearing what appeared to be suicide vests but they turned out to be hoaxes.

The violence turned a summery Saturday night in an area packed with bars and restaurants into a scene of panic and chaos, with officers running through crowded streets screaming for people to flee and lifeboats drafted to help clear the area.

The London Ambulance Service said at least 30 injured people had been taken to five hospitals. Metropolitan Police declared the attacks ‘‘terrorist incidents.’’

Hours after the attacks began, a large area of central London remained cordoned off and police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revelers struggling to get home. It was unclear whether any of the attackers was on the run.

Bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets — likely from armed police — and at least three blasts rang out as police performed controlled explosions. One image taken by a witness showed a man on the ground surrounded by police; he appeared to be wearing a vest with canisters attached to it.

Gerard Vowls told The Guardian newspaper that he saw a woman being stabbed by three men at the south end of London Bridge. He said he threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers in a bid to stop them.

‘‘They kept coming to try to stab me . they were stabbing everyone. Evil, evil people,’’ he told the newspaper. ‘‘I want to know if this girl is still alive. I've been walking around for an hour and a half crying my eyes out. I don’t know what to do.’’

Bartender Alex Martinez said he hid in a garbage bin for a half hour when a man stormed the restaurant where he worked, which was nearly full.

‘‘I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening,’’ he said.

Medics treated the injured near the market as shocked people cried and shouted around them. Police officers yelled at people to run from the area.

Simon Thompson told Sky News that he was just outside Borough Market when he saw crowds fleeing.

‘‘We ran for like 100 meters and then saw loads of police cars turned up and there was kind of a period of quite intense gunfire,’’ he said. ‘‘I hid in a restaurant basement for about an hour. ... Police told us to get out and then there was more gunfire.’’

The mayhem began just after 10 p.m. (2100GMT), when police responded to reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge, which crosses the River Thames in central London. Multiple witnesses reported a vehicle veering off the road and hitting as many as six pedestrians.

‘‘We saw injured people on the road, injured people on the pavement,’’ witness Will Heaven told Sky News.

Soon after, reports started coming in of stabbings at Borough Market, a nearby area full of bars and restaurants surrounding a popular food market. Witnesses reported seeing as many as three attackers with knives.

Police initially said officers were also responding to a third incident, in the Vauxhall neighborhood, but later said that turned out to be an unrelated stabbing.

Police tweeted a warning telling people in the area to run to safety, hide and then call police if it is safe to do so. They asked Londoners to ‘‘remain calm but be alert and vigilant.’’

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed the attack ‘‘is being treated as a potential act of terrorism’’ and said her thoughts were with ‘‘those who are caught up in these dreadful events.’’ May’s office said she would chair a meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency committee on Sunday.

As thousands of people flooded from the area of the attacks — many unable to get home with nearby subway stations shut — locals were quick to offer assistance.

The Royal Oak pub, near the area of the attacks, opened its doors to people evacuated from hotels. At least one taxi company offered free rides to people stranded in the area. Phaldip Singh, who describes himself as an entrepreneur and youth activist, tweeted that Sikh temples were open to provide food and shelter for those affected.

If confirmed as terrorism, this would be the third attack to hit Britain in as many months.

In March, a British convert to Islam ran down people with a vehicle on Westminster Bridge, killing four, then stabbed a policeman to death outside Parliament.

On May 22, a British suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured dozens at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. After that attack, Britain’s official threat level from terrorism was raised to ‘‘critical,’’ meaning an attack may be imminent. Several days later it was lowered to ‘‘severe,’’ meaning an attack is highly likely.

A charity concert for victims of the Manchester attack, featuring Grande and other stars, is due to be held in the northwest English city on Sunday.

Sky News, UK
written by Sharon Marris, News Reporter
Sunday June 4, 2017

At least six people have been killed after attackers drove into pedestrians and stabbed people in central London.

Attackers drove a van at high speed into pedestrians on London Bridge just after 10pm on Saturday before continuing to drive from the bridge to Borough Market.

There, they jumped out of the van and stabbed people, including a British Transport Police officer who has serious but not life-threatening injuries to his face, head and leg.

Within eight minutes, armed police confronted three male attackers, shooting them dead in Borough Market.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "Armed officers responded very quickly and bravely, confronting three male suspects who were shot and killed in Borough Market.

"The suspects were wearing what looked like explosive vests but these were later established to be hoaxes."

He added: "We believe three people were involved but we still have some more inquiries to be 100% confident of that."

At least 30 victims were taken to five hospitals across London, according to the city's ambulance service. More were treated at the scene for less serious injuries.

The Premier Bankside hotel was evacuated and Guy's, St Thomas' Evelina hospitals went into lockdown "to keep patients, relatives and staff safe".

No comments: