The attacker was shot dead by police just five minutes after they were called (Picture: PA)

The knifeman who killed two people at London Bridge this afternoon was known to police, a security source has said.

He is also believed to have been a recently released former prisoner who was wearing an electronic tag.

Sources also say the attacker, who was shot dead by police, had links to Islamist terror groups.

The assailant, who was wearing a fake suicide vest, is yet to be named.


According to The Times, he was released from jail a year ago after agreeing to wear an electronic tag and have his movements monitored.

The attacker was believed to be an ex-prisoner with links to terror groups (Picture: PA)

But speaking at a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted the suspect had previously been convicted of terror offences.



He said he had ‘long argued’ it was a ‘mistake to allow serious and violent criminals to come out of prison early’.

Johnson added: ‘It is very important that we get out of that habit and that we enforce the appropriate sentences for dangerous criminals, especially for terrorists, that I think the public will want to see.’

A maintenance worker who witnessed today’s attack, which left three injured, claims he was told the assailant had been in prison for terrorism offences.

Jamie Bakhit, 24, from Purley, Croydon, said he spoke to one of the men who helped wrestle the knifeman to the ground after they were taken to the Salvation Army headquarters to be interviewed by police.

He said: ‘The guy who was on top of him said he [the attacker] had been in prison for terrorism, apparently.

Members of the public have been praised for jumping in to help police

‘Some of the guys who were on top of him were ex-prisoners and they had all been in the Fishmongers’ Hall.

‘The guy told me he was in prison with the attacker.’

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick refused to confirm whether or not the suspect was known to police.

Instead she said: ‘We will be working as fast as we can to understand who this man is, where he comes from and whether there is anyone else who we need to find quickly who might be in touch with him.’

She praised police for ‘bravely and professionally’ confronting the attacker within five minutes of being called.

NHS England confirmed one of the three injured victims was ‘critical but stable’.

Roads leading to the bridge were blocked off and public transport was diverted (Picture: Getty Images)

Another is said to be stable and the third victim has less serious injuries.

The Prime minister praised members of the public ‘for their immense bravery’ after they helped tackle the suspect to the ground and disarm him.

Footage on social media shows one man being urged to move away by armed officers before the suspect was shot at point-blank range.

Another bystander – understood to be a plain clothes officer – could be seen carrying a large knife from the scene.

Another video appeared to show a person on a stretcher, surrounded by emergency services staff and vehicles, being given CPR by responders following the attack.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan hailed intervening members of the public for their ‘breathtaking heroism’.

Two members of the public were killed and another three were injured (Picture: EPA)

Today’s attack was at the same scene of the bloody massacre in summer 2017 in which eight people were killed and 48 seriously injured.



After being shot, the man behind today’s bloodshed raised his arms towards his head before lying still.

A second knife could be seen on the ground close to his body.

Head of UK counter-terrorism policing Neil Basu said: ‘A male suspect was shot by specialist armed officers from City of London police and I can confirm that this suspect died at the scene.’

The Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog said it has launched an investigation into the police shooting of the London Bridge attacker which is standard for such incidents.

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