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U.K. Police Investigating Van Attack in London as Terrorism - The New York Times

posted onJune 19, 2017
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Article snippet: LONDON — The authorities in Britain said on Monday that they were treating an early morning attack near a mosque in London as a possible act of terrorism, amid fears of retaliatory attacks after several recent attacks attributed to Islamist extremists in the country. Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for counterterrorism policing, said that the attacker was believed to have acted alone. He also praised the bystanders who intervened to detain the suspect, and urged residents to remain calm and vigilant. One man was found dead at the scene, although Mr. Basu said it was too early to say whether he had died as a result of the attack, in which 10 people were injured. “This was an attack on London and all Londoners,” Mr. Basu said, adding that all of the victims were from the Muslim community. The British prime minister, Theresa May, said that she would lead an emergency meeting later Monday about the case. “All my thoughts are with the victims, their families and the emergency services on the scene,” she said. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, condemned what he called a “horrific terrorist attack” on innocent Londoners. Mr. Khan, who is a Muslim, sought to reassure Muslim communities across the country, saying the police presence would be beefed up across the capital, at a time when some are observing the holy month of Ramadan. The episode immediately raised the question of a retaliation, even as some Muslims questioned why the attack was not immediately char... Link to the full article to read more

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