UK: London Under The Shock Of A Violent "Terrorist" Attack

Police patrol near Borough Market, June 4, 2017.

England was again struck by terrorism on Saturday evening, 3 June. Less than fifteen days after the horror of a suicide bombing in Manchester after a concert on May 22, 2017, it is London that is affected once again. An attack at the ram-car and then at the knife led by several armed men: report: 6 dead; The three assailants were killed.

The police began receiving distress calls shortly after 10 pm (local time) yesterday evening explaining that a white van had just hit pedestrians on the London Bridge. Witnesses saw the vehicle turning at about 80 km / h on the sidewalk to mow a maximum of people before finishing its race across the bridge, crushed against the gates of Southwark Cathedral.

At that time, three men jumped out of the rugged van, and shouted "  It's for Allah,  " before stabbing people randomly down into pubs and restaurants in Borough Market, the historic covered market, Located below the bridge. The police said they intervened and killed the three assailants within eight minutes of the first calls, calling it " terrorist attack " very quickly   , which left 6 people dead and about 30 wounded.

"The van was driving on the wrong side"

It was learned a little later that the three terrorists wore belts of explosives that turned out to be fake. Another incident a little further in the Vauxhall district, south of the Thames, at the same time, someone who was arrested after a knife attack, was eventually dismissed from the investigation and the police Explained that it was a separate news item.
Eric Souigenza, a passer-by, testified: "  The van was driving on the wrong side of the road, and at first I thought that its brakes had dropped because it was driving very fast, and on the wrong side. It was a white pickup truck with yellow bands, one of those pickup trucks that can easily be rented. She departed on the right and people tried to escape her. I do not think anyone was hurt by the impact. Three people went downstairs and went to the people they had nearly crushed. There I thought it was to comfort them because obviously, for me, it was an accident."

"But in fact," continued the man, " they began to beat them and took out knives. It was a massacre. Then they headed, I think it is towards the cathedral of Southwark, down the stairs to the bars. The three men rushed to the people who could not believe their eyes, did not understand what was going on. And these people began to defend themselves because they were attacked with a knife. The three men then decided to go up to the bridge, two stopped. A woman was looking at them and they began to stab her. One of them continued towards the bridge, I do not know if he reached it or if he went to Borough Market. It was there that I decided to turn around and flee to the north of the bridge.  When I crossed it, everywhere there were people lying, bleeding. People were trying to help each other, to be good Samaritans for those who were wounded. "
What are the government's reactions?

Very quickly tonight, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that she was following the developments of this new attack from Downing Street. In a statement, she said, "  Our thoughts are with those who have suffered these horrible events  ." Theresa May is due to meet now with its Cobra Security Council and should indicate whether the level of alert from "severe" to "critical" in the aftermath of the Manchester bombing but which has since declined again will be re-evaluated or not.

Security forces and intelligence services are now under pressure as this is the third time in less than three months that terrorists have escaped police surveillance. MI5, British intelligence, says its officers and investigators are currently tracking 500 plots or attacks in preparation across the country, and some of them are expected to pass through the net.

For its part, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, denounced a"  deliberate and cowardly attack against innocent people ... There is no justification for such barbaric acts." Sadiq Khan, who also attended the morning emergency council, asks the Londoners to remain calm and vigilant.
Two more attacks in 2017

This attack comes after two more attacks in 2017 in May in Manchester and in March in London. On May 22, a young Libyan-born Briton blew himself up with a powerful bomb at the end of a concert by American singer Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena, a large concert hall in the northwestern town of England. Twenty-two people were killed and 116 injured, including many children and adolescents. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State organization.

On March 22, 2017, a man rushes into the crowd with his vehicle on the Westminster Bridge, which spans the Thames opposite Big Ben, before fatally stabbing a policeman in front of Parliament. The attack killed five people. Its author, Khalid Masood, a British citizen converted to Islam, is shot dead by the police. If the attack was claimed by the EI organization, Scotland Yard declares not to have "  found proof of an association  " of Masood with the EI or al-Qaeda.