LONDON – In what appeared to be another terrorist attack in London, a van hit a crowd of Muslim worshippers who had left a mosque in north London’s Finsbury Park, leaving one dead and eight injured.
Police have described it a “major incident” which occurred at about 12.20am on Monday, and have confirmed the death of one of the pedestrians.
LATEST on #SevenSisters Road #FinsburyPark incident. One person has died. Counter Terrorism Command investigating. https://t.co/S5whFriU3Z pic.twitter.com/PKHfgCI345
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 19, 2017
Eye witnesses described that the white van rammed into people outside the Muslim Welfare House on Seven Sisters Road in Finsbury, London.
“There has been one person arrested,” who was believed to be the driver of the van, police said.
According to London Ambulance Service Deputy Director of Operations, Kevin Bate, “We have treated eight patients at the scene and taken them to three London hospitals. A Number of patients were also treated at the scene for minor injuries.”
We have taken 8 patients to hospital following the incident on #SevenSisters Road in #FinsburyPark https://t.co/oL75V7ZUWD pic.twitter.com/KQNcFumxIC
— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) June 19, 2017
PM Theresa May
Condemning the incident, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “This is a terrible incident,” adding, “All my thoughts are with those who have been injured, their loved ones, and the emergency services on the scene.”
She said police are taking the van incident “as a potential terrorist attack”, adding: “I will chair an emergency meeting later this morning. All my thoughts are with the victims, their families and the emergency services on the scene.”
Mayor of London
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan called it a major incident in a tweet.
Emergency services are on the scene and investigating a major incident at Finsbury Park. Follow @Metpoliceuk and @Ldn_ambulance for details.
— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) June 19, 2017
Witnesses
One witness named Rayan told CNN it was evident that the attacker carried out the attack deliberately to target Muslims at Finsbury Park. “He tried to kill a lot of people, so obviously it’s a terrorist attack. He targeted Muslims this time” .
Another eye witness has told Sky News that there were three men in the van. He said one was held by worshipers until police arrived, adding that other two fled away.
Muslim Council of Britain
MCB secretary general Harun Khan tweeted “a van has intentionally run over worshipper leaving Ramadan night prayers.”
Shocked and outraged to hear a van has intentionally run over worshippers leaving #Ramadan night prayers on Seven Sisters Road #FinsburyPark
— Harun Khan (@harakha) June 19, 2017
In a press release, Harun Khan said: “During the night, ordinary British citizens were set upon while they were going about their lives, completing their night worship. My prayers are with the victims and their families. It appears from eye witness accounts that the perpetrator was motivated by Islamophobia.”
Finsbury Park Mosque Chairman Mohammad Kozbar lamenting over the incident, “Our thoughts and prayers with those who got injured and effected by this cowardly attack.”
Our thoughts and prayers with those who got injured and effected by this cowardly attack in Finsbury Park area, many casualties in the floor
— Mohammed Kozbar (@KozbarM) June 19, 2017
Attacks in London
On May 22, a suicide bomber hit a concert of Ariana Grande in Manchester and killed 22 people, and injured nearly 60.
On June 3, eight people were killed and 48 were injured when three men rammed a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before launching a stabbing spree in nearby hotels.
