2 dead in London Bridge attack: Pak origin man is killer

Police officers close to a scene of an incident at London Bridge in London, Britain, 29 November 2019. EFE/EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA
 

London, November 30 (IANS) The man who carried out the Black Friday attack on the iconic London Bridge was identified as a terror convict of Pakistani descent.

Usman Khan, 28, was out on parole when he stabbed one man and a woman to death, besides injuring three others, police said. None of the victims have been named, with at least one injured said to be critical, media reports said. Khan was convicted in 2012.

"He was released from prison in December 2018 on licence and clearly, a key line of enquiry now is to establish how he came to carry out this attack," the BBC quoted London Metropolitan Police Assitant Commissioner Neil Basu as saying.

The Metropolitan Police on Saturday said Khan is a British national from Staffordshire. He was born in London and is of Pakistani ethnicity, Dawn reports said. Khan was shot by specialist armed forces and died at the scene, Basu added.

Searches were underway in Staffordshire, where Khan lived. He targetted the Friday event, where dozens of people, including students and former prisoners, were present, the BBC said.

"While we are still in the early stages of the investigation, at this time we are not actively seeking anyone else in relation to the attack," Basu added.

"However, we continue to make fast time enquiries to ensure that no other people were involved in this attack and that there is no outstanding threat to the public."

The attack on the bridge across the Thames began at an event at Fishmonger's Hall at 1.58 p.m. Television images captured Khan brandishing a knife as he walked across the bridge. He was shot dead by officers after members of the public restrained him.

"The circumstances, as we currently understand them, are that the attacker attended an event earlier on Friday afternoon at Fishmonger's Hall called �Learning Together', Basu added, saying that police believe the attack began inside before Khan left the building and proceeded onto London Bridge, where he was detained and subsequently confronted and shot by armed officers.

The Times reported that Khan's release from prison last year came after he agreed to wear an electronic tag and have his movements monitored.

The incident evoked memories of the 2017 terror attack on the same bridge when a van was deliberately driven ploughing the pedestrians before its three occupants ran to the nearby Borough Market area and began stabbing people in and around restaurants and pubs, leaving eight people dead and 48 injured.

The attackers, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State, were shot dead by the police.