Possible Terrorist Attack in London

[SHARPIE]

London Bridge: Two killed in stabbing attack

A further three are injured and the suspect shot dead in what police have declared a "terrorist incident".

www.bbc.co.uk

5 casualties being reported so far.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Oh Man! Sending my thoughts and prayers.

 

[skatesindreams]

I hope that the authorities can deal effectively with those responsible for this attack.

 

[SHARPIE]

When you heroically wrestle a knife out of a terrorist’s hands but realise the police are probably going to want to speak to you so you dump your weekend party stash.

(Caution, audible gunfire can be heard)

??ℂℍ??? (@Natty_Shep_PVS) on Twitter

 

[hanca]

I hope that the authorities can deal effectively with those responsible for this attack.

I would say they did deal with it effectively. They shot the f***er.

 

[Lorac]

Unfortunately 2 members of the public were killed in the attack. The attacker was also killed as he was wearing a - thankfully - hoax bomb vest but seemed to indicate he was going to trigger it which got him shot. Clearly he had no intention of being taken alive.

 

[Buzz]

Prayers and to the victims and their loved one.

 

[MsZem]

Wow.

Narwhal tusk and fire extinguisher used to tackle London Bridge attacker

Members of the public, including a convicted murderer, bring terrorist to the ground

www.theguardian.com

 

[Vagabond]

Wow.

Spoiler: Politically incorrect humor. Please do not read this if you are easily offended

Incidents like this make me wonder if I should be keeping a narwhal tusk at home for my own protection.

 

[hanca]

@Vagabond , you don’t need one. Common household products (such as wooden broom pole) will do the same job. And will be cheaper and easier to get.

 

[Vagabond]

Thank you, @hanca ! You have made my day!

 

[Lorac]

Well it has transpired that the attacker was convicted for prior terrorism offences and jailed in 2012. He was released on licence in December 2018 after serving half of his term and was wearing a GPS tracker. His release was suppose to have been based on whether he was re-habilitated and did not require him to go before the Parole Board. He was apparently attending a prisoner rehabilitation conference run by Cambridge University at Fishmongers' Hall at the north end of London Bridge and one of the deceased by a Cambridge graduate also attending the conference

London Bridge attack victim named as Jack Merritt

 

[MsZem]

Well it has transpired that the attacker was convicted for prior terrorism offences and jailed in 2012. He was released on licence in December 2018 after serving half of his term and was wearing a GPS tracker.

This was mentioned in the article I linked earlier. And one of the men who helped subdue him was a convicted murderer on day release who was apparently attending the same event as Khan.

London Bridge bystander who helped pin down attacker is convicted murderer on day release

James Ford jailed for life in 2004 for ‘motiveless’ murder of 21-year-old Amanda Champion

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Peaches LaTour]

This makes me absolutely furious & incredibly sad at the same time.

 

[Deleted member 221]

Well it has transpired that the attacker was convicted for prior terrorism offences and jailed in 2012. He was released on licence in December 2018 after serving half of his term and was wearing a GPS tracker.

Outrageous. Any terrorism related offenses should be punished with life in prison with no possibility of parole. I hope there is hell to pay for whomever let him out of jail. How could anyone think it's a good idea to have someone like this walking the streets, GPS tracker or not? By all means, rehabilitate, but keep in jail.

 

[millyskate]

This was mentioned in the article I linked earlier. And one of the men who helped subdue him was a convicted murderer on day release who was apparently attending the same event as Khan.

London Bridge bystander who helped pin down attacker is convicted murderer on day release

James Ford jailed for life in 2004 for ‘motiveless’ murder of 21-year-old Amanda Champion

www.independent.co.uk

So many layers of tragedy and absurdity in this case. This particular point speaks to the futility of labelling people. (heroes, monsters).

Several of the recent terrorism incidents have been perpetrated by people with either previous convictions for terrorism or people by who were on watch-lists. It's bewildering every time.

 

[MsZem]

I know it's the Daily Mail, but looks like the brave men who took down the attacker included:

• A Polish chef armed with a narwhal tusk
• A reformed former prisoner who'd been attending the conference at Fishmongers' Hall
• The convicted murderer who was at the same event
• A kitchen worker named Mohammed who promptly went back to work

Ex-prisoner turned hero as he confronted knife-wielding Usman Khan

Marc Conway was chatting with prison education specialists when screams filled Fishmongers Hall as Usman Khan, 28, began his rampage at London Bridge on Friday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The second victim has been named - 23-year old Saskia Jones:

Second London Bridge attack victim named as Saskia Jones, 23

Former Cambridge student was killed along with Jack Merritt, 25, in attack on Friday

www.theguardian.com

 

[MsZem]

It sounds like Lukasz was not the guy with the narwhal tusk, but this is incredible:

Rupert Myers on Twitter

“Bloody hell - this account of Lukasz the narwhal tusk-wielding hero of London Bridge is epic https://t.co/an0Hj108Wr”

twitter.com

 

[MacMadame]

One thing I learned from this:

Narwhal tusks are really super long.

 

[Peaches LaTour]

Brian Williams, American national news broadcaster on MSNBC, closed his broadcast tonight with a tribute to the civilian heroes of this tragedy.

 

[Vagabond]

Update:

Murderer who tackled London Bridge attacker with narwhal tusk to have sentence reduced

Steven Gallant could be released early as a result of ‘exceptionally brave actions’

www.theguardian.com

Gallant, 42, will see the 17-year sentence he received in 2005 reduced by 10 months, and could apply for parole next June, the Mirror reported.

The Ministry of Justice said the Queen was advised to grant this pardon as a result of Gallant’s “exceptionally brave actions […] which helped save people’s lives despite the tremendous risk to his own”.

In an extraordinary turn of events, the family of firefighter Barrie Jackson, whom Gallant killed outside a pub in Hull, backed the decision to free the murderer early.

Jackson’s student son Jack, 21, said: “I have mixed emotions – but what happened at London Bridge goes to show the reality that people can change,” adding that he would not rule out meeting his father’s killer one day.

That was the whole basis for the conference Gallant was attending.

 

[Buzz]

As long as the victim’s family is in favour of his early release, I think it is fine that he is being released early.