Car crashes outside UK Parliament in ‘terror attack’; 3 hurt

LONDON: In a terror attack, a man drove a car at high speed and ploughed into several pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside the UK’s Parliament during rush hour on Tuesday, injuring three persons, Scotland Yard said.

London, August 14

In a terror attack, a man drove a car at high speed and ploughed into several pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside the UK’s Parliament during rush hour on Tuesday, injuring three persons, Scotland Yard said.

The attack, the second terrorism incident on the iconic building in central London since March last year, is being investigated by Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Command. The man, in his late 20s, has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the National Lead for Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, said the man was not cooperating with police as they work to establish his identity.

“Our priority is to formally establish the identity of the suspect and his motivation if we can. He is not currently cooperating,” the Indian-origin officer said, adding that the suspect was not known to security services or under surveillance.

A meeting of the UK government’s Cobra emergency committee was also convened in the wake of the attack. The suspect, who has not been formally identified, is being held at a south London police station. BBC reported that the man is from the Birmingham area.

A Met police spokesperson said that there was nobody else in the vehicle, which remains at the scene and is being searched. No weapons have been recovered at this stage.

Police have put up a Terrorism Act cordon, a reaction to incidents of this nature near any high-security hotspots in the city. The car was seen wedged into flap-style barriers that allows vehicles access to the House of Lords, giving the impression that the driver may have been trying to gain access to the Parliament building.

Prime Minister Theresa May said: “My thoughts are with those injured in the incident in Westminster and my thanks to the emergency services for their immediate and courageous response.”

Home Secretary Sajid Javid also thanked emergency services for their quick response. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with police.

London Ambulance Service said in a statement that two people were taken to hospital and one man has since been discharged while a woman remains in hospital being treated for “serious but non-life-threatening injuries”.

The incident occurred at peak rush hour, resulting in major travel disruptions as Westminster tube station was shut down and road closures put in place. — PTI