The London attacker from yesterday hasn’t been named yet, that I can find, but ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack and eight people have been arrested after the attack thus far. Also, the attacker is British born and was part of an historic investigation, but authorities had no inkling that he was about to commit this attack:
CNN – Police investigating the deadliest London terror attack in 12 years have arrested eight people in raids around Britain, as an ISIS-affiliated news agency claimed that the extremist group was behind the outrage.
Prime Minister Theresa May revealed the perpetrator was British born and once linked to violent extremism, in a statement to Parliament a day after it was locked down when the assailant breached its perimeter.
May said the attacker — whose rampage claimed three lives and injured 40 — had been investigated by security services but was regarded as a “peripheral figure.” Authorities did not know he was about to mount an assault, she said.
Britain’s most senior counterterror police officer said inquiries were continuing in London, Birmingham and elsewhere after the lone attacker plowed a car into crowds of people, killing two people, before stabbing a police officer dead in the grounds of the UK Parliament.
A tweet from ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq said the attacker was “a soldier” of ISIS inspired by its message. However, ISIS has provided no evidence for any direct links to the assailant, whom it did not name.
It makes sense that law enforcement wouldn’t know about this attack. After all, there’s nothing special or illegal about using a car and a knife. Anybody could do what this Jihadi did on a moment’s notice.
Also, it’s interesting that ISIS claimed responsibility but failed to name the attacker. Perhaps because they have no idea who he is?
Authorities do believe this British jihadi was inspired by international terrorism, however that he acted alone. Curious though, why were eight people arrested if he was acting alone?
Here’s the Prime Minister’s statement to the Parliament today: