London Bridge terror attack recap: Police arrest twelve after raids in east of city following slaughter of seven innocents

Three terrorists wearing fake suicide vests ploughed into pedestrians in a van before leaping out and knifing people at random

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• Updated Ten:00, five JUN 2017

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Police have raided properties across east London and arrested twelve as part of their investigation into Saturday’s deadly attack.

Today, the very first of the seven people killed in the London Bridge terrorist attack has been identified as a Canadian charity worker.

She was killed after three terrorists wearing hoax suicide vests stormed London Bridge on Saturday night.

The gang ploughed into pedestrians in a van at up to 50mph before they leapt from the vehicle and began stabbing people at random.

Armed police were on the scene within minutes and shot dead three attackers at the scene.

An harmless bystander was “shot in the head” after getting caught in the crossfire, but is believed to be in a stable condition.

The very first victim of the atrocity has been identified as “beautiful and loving” bride-to-be Chrissy Archibald.

A Frenchman has also been confirmed as among those slaughtered in the horror attack which began at around 10pm on Saturday night.

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed many of the forty eight wounded had suffered “life-threatening injuries.”

She said the attack was not linked to a suicide bombing in Manchester on Monday, which killed twenty two people.

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Police pictured at East London raids

These pictured showcase early-morning police raids carried out at two locations in East London today.

As officers proceed the search, a “number of people” have been detained after coming in properties in Newham and Barking.

Officers entered the properties at Four.15am this morning.

Residents reported hearing “noisy flash bangs and gunshots” in the early hours of Monday morning.

The Metropolitan Police said: “At around Four:15am on Monday, five June, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Guideline investigating the London Bridge terror attack entered two further addresses – one in Newham and one in Barking.

“A number of people have been detained and are at present being spoken to. Searches are ongoing at both addresses.”

Police were pictured outside an address in Ripple Road and Elizabeth Fry flats, Barking

‘Frenchman’ killed in attack was working at nearby restaurant

French media are reporting a 27-year-old man who was working at a nearby restaurant was killed in the attack.

Named only as Alexander, from Saint-Malo in Brittany, Le Telegramme reports he had been working in the Boro Bistro, near Borough Market.

Another worker at the restaurant, Vincent Le Berre, told the news site: “The bar was total. A terrorist arrived on the roof of the bar and leaped on the parasol on the terrace, wounding one of the my colleagues.

“I found myself facing the terrorist two metres away. I spotted the hatred in his eyes. I managed to escape, but my friend Alexander did not have that chance

“He was hit in the neck with a knife.”

Canadian charity worker died in fiance’s arms

Christine (Chrissy) Archibald, 30, died in her fucking partner, Tyler Ferguson’s, arms after being mowed down on London Bridge.

Mr Ferguson, who was walking just ahead of Miss Archibald, looked back in her direction as he heard screeching tyres and spotted victims being run down, his family says.

He launched a desperate attempt to resuscitate her but she died as he held her.

The attackers moved through Borough Market, stabbing people at random, before they were shot and killed by police.

His sister, Cassie, said: “He is violated into a million lumps. He held her and observed her die in his arms.”

The duo got engaged a few months ago after Miss Archibald joined Mr Ferguson in The Hague, Netherlands, where he works as an accountant.

They were planning to comeback to Canada when he finished his contract.

Attack ringleader, 27, appeared in Channel four documentary last year pleading to ISIS flag

The ringleader of the London Bridge terror attack appeared in a Channel four documentary about jihadis in the UK last year.

The 27-year-old from Barking, East London, is believed to have led the trio who ploughed into pedestrians before stabbing revellers in pubs and bars on Saturday night.

He is presently only being identified by his nickname “Abz” at the request of the Metropolitan Police.

In 2016, he appeared in the documentary alongside a famous preacher as they pleaded to an Islamic State flag in a London park.

“A number of ” people detained after East London raids

Two addresses in east London are being searched by police in connection with Saturday’s deadly terror attack in the capital.

The Metropolitan Police said officers entered properties in Newham and Barking at Four.15am on Monday and “a number” of people have been detained.

Searches were continuing at both addresses, police added.

Residents reported hearing “noisy flash bangs and gunshots” in the early hours of Monday morning.

Twitter user BatemanLDN said: “It woke me up along with the entire street. Enormously noisy bangs followed by gunshot bangs.

“All ok – very shaken residents nearby tho’. All quietened down now.”

Simon Tucker wrote: “Heard this in the Dagenham area at around Four:15 am. Commenced with noisy explosion sound. Followed by about twenty shots, Some sounded distant.”

‘Gunshots and explosions’ as police search two addresses in east London

Police are searching two addresses in east London in connection with the London Bridge terror attack, and a number of people have been detained, Scotland Yard said.

Some people in the area believe they heard an explosion and gunfire.

‘British Muslims must go further’

British Muslims should “go further” than condemning terror attacks, a government minister has said.

Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said members of his faith should be challenging extremism adding: “We can no longer timid away from those difficult conversations”.

Mr Javid was writing in the Times after the capital was rocked by a van and knife attack on Saturday night which killed seven and left twenty one fighting for their lives.

The candidate for Bromsgrove said speaking as a Muslim, there was the need to ask “searching questions”.

He said: “As British Muslims, we rightly condemn terror attacks. But we must go further. It is not enough to condemn.

“Muslims must challenge too.

“This will take courage. All communities must feel certain in calling out extremism where they see it.

“It may be awkward, people may feel embarrassed about making judgments, but we can no longer timid away from those difficult conversations.”

He added that it would be “absurd” to suggest the deeds of a puny group were representative of the “peaceful, wonderful” religion of Islam.

“A lasting peace will only come when youthful Muslims growing up in Britain determine that this is not their fight and they want no part of it.

“When they turn their backs on the preachers of hate,” he said.

London still facing travel disruption on Monday

London commuters are facing disruption to their journeys on Monday morning after terror struck the capital on Saturday evening.

The Metropolitan Police said cordons put in place while officers carry out investigation work would remain “well into Monday”, while train services will also be disrupted.

London Bridge rail station will reopen on Monday at 5am but as exit only, while the Underground station will be open, Transport for London said.

The mainline station is a key gateway for travellers heading to Kent and Surrey, with National Rail telling services on Southeastern, Southern and Thameslink are likely to be disrupted.

British Transport Police said people may notice an enhanced police presence following the attacks which killed seven.

In a statement, the force said: “Members of the public should expect to see extra police officers patrolling stations in London and the south east following the attacks.

“You may also see some of our armed police officers at stations.”

Met assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said: “The cordons in and around the London Bridge and Borough Market area will remain in place, and we encourage the public to avoid the area as our investigation is ongoing.

“This will have an influence on travel arrangements as we head in to Monday morning, and would ask everyone to check with their travel operators and seek alternative routes wherever possible.”

An area of Borough High Street and Market is closed, as well as Montague Close and Stoney Street.

French national killed and seven in hospital

A French citizen died in the attacks and seven were taken to hospital, four of whom were in a critical state, foreign affairs minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. Another French national is missing, he added.

Newspaper Ouest-France reported the victim was from St Malo, Brittany, and worked in a bar in the London Bridge area.

President Trump says “this bloodshed must end”

President Donald Trump on Sunday called the London attacks an “evil slaughter” and said the United States would do everything it could in its power to assist the United Kingdom to bring those responsible to justice.

“This bloodshed must end. This bloodshed will end,” Trump said in brief remarks after a gala event at Ford’s Theater in Washington.

‘Security services have beeb holding back tide of attacks for yeras’

Our Defence and Security Editor Chris Hughes says MI5 has smashed a tide of terror plots over the years – but the threat resumes to grow.

He writes in Monday’s Daily Mirror:

Counter terror police and MI5 officers have waged an increasingly frenetic war against Islamist terrorism since even before the 9/11 atrocity.

More than a dozen major plots, some with possible death tolls topping the near Three,000 killed in 9/11, were smashed by them.

After the March Westminster attack, MI5 has intercepted many plots and stopped at least five since Khalid Masood’s killings.

The rhythm at which MI5 officers in London, in their regional offices and abroad are working is at an almost unprecedented level.

There are around 23,000 people in Britain who are known potential radicals – among them Trio,000 on observe lists.

That number has been on the rise exponentially every year since we very first became aware of the figures after the 7/7 two thousand five attack in London. brutal.

The brutal truth is that MI5 has been holding back the tide of attacks for years, intercepting plots of varying magnitude with a professionalism world intelligence agencies can only desire of.

A flawless storm of everything needed to spawn an escalating global terror disease has occurred – some of it not helped by the West, some of it disregarded and some of it very much our fault.

Wars in Iraq, Syria, and now Libya, have spawned a dreadful, twisted and hate-fuelled passion for ideological violence and now disparate groups are copying each other.

The hatred of the West was already there – that is true, but not on this scale.

People who have become killers abroad have developed the abilities needed to carry them out when they get home, spurred on by hatred instilled in them by recruiters.

These psychos don’t need to sign up to Islamic State or al-Qaeda – all they have to do is say they are IS or al-Qaeda and those groups will take credit for their atrocities.

The West has been at war for some years against extremism, but the frontlines are now here – and our security compels have reached critical mass in attempting to cope.

Attacker ‘was homegrown jihadi who used to work at KFC and Transport for London’

The ringleader of the London Bridge terror attack was a former Underground and KFC worker known for his extremist views.

The 27-year-old attacker, who can only be identified as ‘Abz’ at the request of police, was a home-grown jihadi who came to UK from Pakistan as a child and spent his life in Barking, East London.

But in latest years he had become increasingly radical and was twice reported to anti-terror authorities, it has been claimed.

He even appeared in TV documentary about British jihadis and was questioned by police after an Islamic State flag was unfurled in a park.

The revelations will put further pressure on Britain’s security services after Manchester bomber Salman Abedi also appeared to have slipped through the net before carrying out the atrocity.

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