
Father-of-four Darren Osborne from Cardiff has today been named as the suspect behind the Finsbury Park terror attack

Police were warned the Finsbury Park terror suspect was drunk and unconscious on the front seat of his rented white van 24 hours before he allegedly used it as a weapon to murder and maim Muslims, it was claimed today.

Darren Osborne, 47, was reportedly seen sleeping across the front three seats of the box van in his home town of Cardiff in the early hours of Father's Day.

South Wales Police is yet to reveal if Osborne was still in the van - of if the vehicle was also gone - when they arrived at the scene 30 minutes after the initial 999 call on Sunday.

Hours earlier he was thrown out of his local pub after a drunken night where he started 'cursing Muslims' and vowing to 'do some damage'.

Today it was revealed that the father-of-four had split from the mother of his children Sarah Andrews, 42, six months ago, and was living in a tent in some South Wales woodland.

Friends have described him as a 'bloody psycho' who had a reputation for drunken fights.

One neighbour said the unemployed mechanic was always arguing with people in the street and said: 'He’s always been a complete c*** - but this is surprising'.

His mother Christine Osborne is said to be 'broken' by the attack and said 'sorry' as she described it as being an 'atrocity'.

His sister Nicola, 50, said she cannot bear to watch the videos of his arrest in the aftermath of the attack, adding: 'He’s not political. He wouldn’t even know who the Prime Minister is. I’ve never heard him say anything about Muslims or anything racist'.

Darren Osborne, 47, is the man accused of ploughing a van into Muslim worshippers in the early hours of Monday morning.

It is alleged that the terror suspect - who was not known to police and MI5 - hired an £80-a-day van from South Wales before driving to the Muslim Welfare House in northLondon.

There, he is accused of mounting the pavement just yards from the Finsbury Park Mosque and mowing down a group of British Muslims.

They were helping Makram Ali, 52, who died minutes later in front of his 26-year-old daughter as those who went to assist him screamed in agony.

A 17-year-old boy is believed to be in a coma after being struck by the van.

Witnesses say that, after the attack, Osborne shouted 'I'm going to kill all Muslims - I did my bit' as he was restrained by members of the community.

The 47-year-old is believed to have grown up in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, but is now said to live in Cardiff, South Wales

Today, police were seen standing guard outside a house in Cardiff home, which Osborne is believed to have previously shared with his partner

Police are searching the property as part of the investigation into the Finsbury Park attack. Only one arrest has been made

His mother, Christine Osborne, (left) said she had last seen her son a month ago and described the attack as an 'atrocity'. It was also revealed he split from his partner Sarah Andrews six months ago (right)

Path of destruction: Osborne is accused of using a £80-a-day van rented in south Wales as a weapon to run down a group of Muslims including at least one in a wheelchair

Regulars at his local pub, the Hollybush in Pentwyn, Cardiff, described Osborne being 'drunk' the night before the attack.

One said: 'He got chucked out as he was so drunk. He was cursing Muslims and saying he would do some damage.'

Another regular at the pub said: 'He's a loud and aggressive person. He's always shouting the odds if anyone disagrees with him.'

Osborne, a jobless mechanic, was said to have consumed with hate after the London Bridge terror attack and reportedly began living in a tent in woodland for two weeks after splitting with the mother of his four children Sarah Andrews, 42, six months ago.

Peter Mackuin, 53 told The Sun: 'Around two weeks ago I saw him and he was a right state. I saw him wandering out of the woods.'

'He looked like he'd been crying. Something was definitely wrong. His missus had been out looking for him as he had been gone all day after a blazing row'.

Hero Imam protected terror attacker from furious crowd trying to kick and punch him The imam who shielded the alleged Finsbury Park attacker from angry reprisals was hailed a hero yesterday. Mohammed Mahmoud, 30, shouted ‘Don’t touch him’ and protected the terror suspect from punches and kicks. The van driver was wrestled to the ground by witnesses and allegedly said ‘Kill me’ as some of the crowd began to attack him. Mr Mahmoud told how he and others from the nearby Muslim Welfare House managed to surround the attacker and shield him. Taking charge, the 30-year-old religious leader shouted: ‘No one touch him – no one! No one!’ He said last night: ‘We managed to extinguish any flames of anger or mob rule. We arrived at the scene within minutes and we found the assailant on the floor. He had been restrained by about three people. ‘A group of people quickly began to collect around the assailant, and some tried to hit him, either kicks or punches. ‘By God’s grace we managed to surround him and protect him from any harm. We stopped all forms of attack and abuse that were coming from every angle.’ Mr Mahmoud said the attacker seemed ‘calm’ but was heard to say: ‘I did my bit.’ Advertisement

His neighbours said he is a 'devoted father' who was last seen taking his children to school on Friday - but admitted that he was 'troubled'.

On Sunday morning he displayed community spirit by changing a tap in a neighbour's house – but hours later the father of four allegedly drove a rented van into worshippers in the capital.

He used to host raucous parties with his large family in his back garden in Cardiff, South Wales.

Police today confirmed eleven people were caught up in the attack, including two who were said to be disabled, and one of them - a man - has since died.

His mother and other relatives still live in Weston-super-Mare and his sister last night said she is 'sorry for what's happened.'

Speaking after the attack, his mother Christine said that she had not seen her son in about one month and described him as being a 'complex' person. With her grandson Ellis, 26, who is mixed-race, next to her, she added: 'Darren would stand up and die for Ellis.'

She told the Evening Standard: 'I feel terribly sorry for all of the families hurt by this and for our family too — my mum is going to be broken for life. He's not interested in terrorism. I am very sorry for what's happened'.

It has also been revealed that Osborne split from his partner Sarah Andrews, 42, six months ago.

Osborne's nephew Ellis Osborne, 26, said: 'We are massively shocked - it's unbelievable, it still hasn't really sunk in. We are devastated for the families, our hearts go out to the people who have been injured.'

He said his uncle was 'not a racist', adding: 'Its madness. It is obviously sheer madness.'

Meanwhile, a Muslim who lives next door to Osborne, told The Guardian Osborne racially abused their son on the weekend.

Khadijh Sherazi's 12-year-old son Nadeem said he was on his bike when Osborne allegedly called him an 'in-bred'.

His shocked Muslim neighbour Saleem Naema, 50, a taxi driver, said: 'If I ever needed anything he would come. I just can't believe that he did that.'

In the months before the alleged terrorist attack, Osborne was on a downward spiral and his relationship with the mother of his children was on the rocks, locals said.

Former friends branded Osborne a 'bloody psycho' who had been famous for his temper and would get into fights.

And it was claimed that the heavy drinker once beat someone up using a belt buckle.

A former barmaid at Weston-super-Mare's Market House pub said Osborne was a well-known heavy drinker and troublemaker.

The woman, 40, who did not want to be named, said in the 1990s when she was 18, he grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to the wall as she worked.

'As soon as we saw the pictures today we all recognised Darren – everyone knew him years ago because he was so unhinged,' she said. 'Obviously it's shocking what he's done – but then again it's not surprising he's done something like this because he was always violent and causing trouble.

'He would be troublesome and provocative, he would goad people into wanting to fight and stuff like that. He was chaotic. Sometimes he would come in the pub and sit down and have a drink and be fine, amenable. The next minute he'd be starting a fight.'

One woman in Weston-super-Mare said: 'The words I would use to describe Darren would be a 'bloody psycho'. He is vile. He would just drink too much and flip the switch I guess. I only witnessed one of his fights. It must have been 15 odd years ago.'

And a neighbour living close to the scene in north London, who wished to remain anonymous, today said that the dead man who was killed was in his 50s and had six children.

They told MailOnline: 'He had six children, two of whom were younger and he had a grandson as well. He was very quiet and he didn't even go out for his shopping, he did it all online.

'They are beautiful neighbours, they are very caring and they cook for us at Ramadan. He's an amazing guy and cares about his family. They are devastated by what has happened. People here are very angry.'

Another neighbour Kelly Wanie, 33, who has lived in the area for three years, said: 'He had a son who used to go to the primary school here, Pools Park, but he is now in Year 7 and my son is in Year 3 so I don't see him anymore.

'He always walked with a stick. His daughter said he's got a heart problem.

'One of his children is 26, and another is 17. He was a very quiet man. He had six children and I think two are married.

'One of his daughters heard what had happened and went down and saw him unconscious.

'He had fallen over and people were giving him water and trying to help him and then the van came from nowhere and drove over his two legs and that's when his daughter saw him lying on the road.'

This is the Hollybush pub in Pentwyn, Cardiff, where drinkers have claimed that Osborne was thrown out on Saturday night

Police were forced to hold back crowds as the Finsbury Park attacker was arrested and put in the back of a van following this morning's terror attack

Police are investigating a suspected terror attack after this hired van ploughed into people outside the Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park, north London, in what has been described as a 'deliberate and horrific terror attack on innocent people'

Police gather evidence on the pavement where victims were knocked down including a show belonging to one man hurt in the attack

Mohammed Mahmoud has described how he prevented a mob attack on the Finsbury Park terror suspect just moments after he mowed down Muslim worshippers outside a mosque

Muslim leader Mohammed Mahmoud stepped in when an angry crowd attempted to 'kick and punch' Darren Osborne as he was being restrained by three men following the suspected terror attack.

Moments earlier, a white van had ploughed into a group of people outside the Muslim Welfare House in north London as they left evening prayers.

'You're a bigoted lunatic': Piers Morgan blasts ex-EDL leader Tommy Robinson in furious 20 MINUTE row Former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson was slammed by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain Former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson was slammed by Piers Morgan as a 'bigoted lunatic stirring up hatred' on Good Morning Britain today. The far-right activist prompted fury after accusing the Finsbury Park Mosque of 'creating terrorists' just an hour after people were mown down outside their place of worship as they left evening prayers on Sunday. Piers later wrote a column for MailOnline claiming that Robinson was a ‘notorious Islamophobe’ whose ‘subliminal message was clear: they deserved it’. And this morning Robinson was told to 'Show some damn respect for people's religious beliefs' by Piers when he produced a copy of the Koran on the ITV show. Mr Robinson prompted fury after accusing the mosque of ‘creating terrorists’ just an hour after the crazed terror attack. He tweeted: ‘The mosque where the attack happened tonight has a long history of creating terrorists and radical jihadists and promoting hate and segregation.’ In his MailOnline column, Piers Morgan later said: ‘He insists he’s a man of peace who doesn’t hate all Muslims. Yet the truth is he’s a man of violence who is on the record blaming all Muslims for Islamist terrorism’. This morning Robinson became embroiled in a furious debate with the ITV presenters. Piers added: 'You're sounding like a complete lunatic. You're sounding like a bigoted lunatic.' 'You're stirring up hatred. You're being a complete disgrace.' Robinson said the Koran was a 'violent and cursed book', adding: 'This book is the reason we are in such a mess.' Vile rants by far-Right extremists celebrating the Finsbury Park attack were circulating on Facebook and Google last night. A video by Robinson, first published before the attack, was also circulated on Twitter yesterday. In it, he said a ‘disgruntled, angry population’ would ‘end up cleaning out this Islamic problem’. Robinson denies he was inciting hatred. Advertisement

Describing what happened, Mr Mahmoud said he and a 'group of brothers' had managed to 'extinguish any flames of mob rule' as members of the public attempted to hurt the alleged terrorist 'from every angle'.

He added that, despite tensions running high, the father-of-four - who is white - had come away 'unscathed' and remained 'calm and silent' as he was arrested by officers.

He told the BBC: 'By God's grace we managed to surround him and to protect him from any harm.

'We stopped all forms of attack and abuse towards him that were coming from every angle.'

Mr Mahmoud said that, while the chaos unfolded, a police car drove past which he and some others managed to flag down.

'We told them the situation,' he continued. 'We said "he is restrained, he mowed people down with a van, there is a mob attempting to hurt him, if you don't take him God forbid he might be seriously hurt.

'We pushed people away from him until he was safely taken by police into custody and put in the back of the van.

'It wasn't me alone - there was a group of brothers who were calm and collected and managed to calm people down and to extinguish any flames of anger or mob rule that would've taken charge had this group of mature brothers not stepped in.'

Police confirmed that one person - later named as Mr Ali, who was being helped by a group of people after collapsing outside the mosque - has died. Officers are still investigating whether his death is linked to the terror attack.

But, yesterday, Mr Mahmoud described how the man had 'regained consciousness' moments before the van ploughed into the road.

He also revealed that the deceased's brother was treated for injuries at the scene.

He said: 'The van drove perpendicular to Seven Sisters road. It drove at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the road - it was enough to make some people fly off under the side.

'It dragged two people underneath him - one they were worried might be paralysed because he could not feel his arms and legs.'

Eyewitness Rashid Hassan, 47, told MailOnline he tried to help one injured man who ended up on the ground.

He said: 'I saw four guys on the floor and I tried to help one of them, I was shocked by what I saw. I tried to help an older woman on the floor and then I saw the attacker who was shouting 'I want to kill Muslims'.

'He was very aggressive, he was sweating and shouting. He tried to run away but four or five guys ran after him and pinned him to the ground and they were shouting 'call the police!'

'The police came and surrounded the guy and people left him alone and he was cuffed and police said 'you are safe'. People shouted 'why did you do that?' But he didn't answer. He was swearing at us with his middle finger.

'There were people bleeding on the ground, and crying. The old woman who I tried to help was crying. After that I felt very upset and I am scared this community is very few and we are a minority and people are now saying they want to go home because of it.

'There was a man in a wheelchair who was on the ground as well. We are scared because of what happened here last night.'

Adam Kadar, 40, added: 'We gave the attacker water, we tried to save him and relax him but he was trying to fight us, he was biting people and was aggressive.

'We tried to save him as people were very angry. In our religion, we do not want to kill anyone, so we had to save him.

'As we tried to keep people away he was shouting 'I will kill all Muslims, f****** Muslims. People said 'why are you killing people?' He said 'they're f****** Muslims... leave me alone.

'My cousin broke two of his legs and is in hospital in Whitechapel. His name is Ali Hirsi and he is a teacher and a councillor. He has three children. He came here from Somalia in 1988. He's a very nice person.

'He's a charitable person and does a lot of charity work. Everyone knows him as he's very generous. I have seen him in hospital and said 'I don't blame anyone for what happened.

'We need to be careful ourselves and these terrorist attacks are happened too many times in London. Everyone needs to look after each other.'

Another, Mohamed Abdulrazak, said: 'One of my friends, Hamdi, was on the floor and another guy, an older man, was on the floor as well and another guy with a wheelchair was on the floor outside the coffee shop.

'I was shocked and I started trying to get cars away from the area. Then one police van came and more police started coming and they then told us to move away. I was so shocked I started screaming...I didn't know how to help the injured people.'

Locals took part in a vigil at Finsbury Park in north London just hours after the terror attack which took place near a mosque

People were holding up posters with the hashtag #WeStandTogeter as they gathered to show their support and solidarity after the attack

Locals, worshippers and community figures gathered outside Finsbury Park Mosque on Monday night following last night's attack

Others held up signs which said that 'Love will win, terror will lose' and 'racist terror = ISIS terror' after the attack in North London

Two protesters were seen holding 'no to Islamophobia' and 'no to war' signs close to the scene in Finsbury Park on Monday evening

Daughter saw father die in front of her after terror: Woman rushed to the scene after he collapsed shortly before van hit crowd in attack that saw grandmother, 72, suffer broken ribs Hirsiyo Ali (middle), 72, who is not related to Mr Ali, suffered broken ribs in the attack A woman who rushed to the scene of the mosque attack saw her father die. The 26-year-old arrived as her father Makram Ali, who had collapsed in the road before the attack, was being treated by friends and locals. Mr Ali, 52, had been walking home from the Muslim Welfare House when he became ill – before the van ploughed into the crowd, injuring ten and leaving the pavement ‘painted red’ in blood. Relatives alerted his daughter, who ran from their nearby home to help, only to witness his tragic last moments. The woman, who has not been named, later said: ‘When I saw him he was conscious and breathing but then he died.’ Mr Ali had had a pacemaker fitted two years ago and used walking sticks, neighbours said. One, who did not want to be named, said: ‘His daughter told me it ran over his leg. She said the family are very upset by what’s happened.’ Eight of the injured needed hospital treatment, including grandmother Hirsiyo Ali, 72, who is not related to Mr Ali. She suffered broken ribs as the van hit her as she walked home from the mosque. Her granddaughter Najma Ahmed, 16, said their family had been left heartbroken and in shock. The schoolgirl added: ‘I visited my grandmother in hospital today and she looked very injured and she couldn’t open her eyes.’ A disabled man suffered a gash to his head but escaped with his life after being pushed partly out of the way of the van by his deaf friend. ‘The deaf man has lived around here for years and was very brave,’ said a witness, who gave his name as Athmane. ‘I could see him trying to push the man in the wheelchair away from the oncoming van but the vehicle still hit the man in the chair and he was badly injured. ‘Before the van hit anyone I heard tyres screaming and then I saw the van going very fast. The driver knew exactly what he was doing. He knew he was targeting people who had come from the mosque after saying prayers.’ Another man suffered broken legs, a broken arm and injuries to his chest and is in a coma, a relative said. His cousin, named Felin, told LBC the van ‘came out of nowhere’. A man called Mohin said his cousin was also injured in the attack. The 32-year-old said: ‘I was in hysterics. I went through [the police cordon] and I saw bodies all over the floor. There were teenagers. I have never seen that much blood in my life, the road was painted red.’ Forensic officers move the van from the attack site at Finsbury Park. The incident led to the death of Makram Ali, whose daughter saw him die Advertisement

Footage shows the alleged driver of the van being arrested at the scene and bundled into a police van - he screamed 'kill me' in the hope witnesses to his Islamophobic attack would seek retribution

Shocking: This is the moment the Finsbury Park mosque terror suspect turned to the crowd from inside the van and was filmed blowing a kiss to them and said: 'I want to kill all Muslims - I did my bit'

This dramatic footage shows the suspect being pinned to the floor by worshippers (left) before being handed over to police (right)

'It's a shame they don't hire out tanks or steamrollers', says mosque attack van owner's son A Facebook post believed to be by the son of the van hire company owner has sparked outrage after he said it was a ‘shame’ it did not hire out ‘steam rollers or tanks.’ The message on Richard Gear Evans’ Facebook page said: ‘It’s my dad’s company I don’t get involved it’s a shame they don’t hire out a Steam Rollers (sic) or Tanks could have done a tidy job then.’ Evans said he works for freight company Eddie Stobart. The firm described the comments as ‘reprehensible’ and added: ‘We have taken immediate action.’ Jacky Clark wrote in response to the post, which had been copied and shared on the social networking site, several times: ‘I hope that someone draws this to the attention of the Police and to FaceBook for it is utterly disgusting.’ Jan Bailey wrote in the Stobart Facebook group: ‘Richard Gear Evans is the son of the man who owns Pontyclun Vans, which the terrorist used to plough into Muslims today. Disgusting comments from him. He works for Eddie Stobart.’ Janet Monks wrote: ‘Disgusting. Please do not think all Welsh people share his view.’ Advertisement

A woman, who is in her 70s, is also believed to have been injured in the attack.

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, told MailOnline: 'Her relatives told us that she was hit by the van and suffered a broken back and broken ribs.

'She is really nice lady and would always say hello. She lived on her in the flat but her family would visit her often.'

Today, police were seen standing guard outside a house in Glyn Rhosyn, Pentwyn, where Osborne is believed to have lived with his partner.

Osborne, who was taken to hospital last night as a precaution, was arrested this morning on suspicion of attempted murder.

He has now been further arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism including murder and attempted murder.

According to public records, Osborne was born in Singapore in 1969.

He is believed to have grown up in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, but later moved to South Wales. He is said to have separated from his partner six months ago.

One former school friend, who attended Broadoak Mathematics and Computing College with Osborne, said he had known him for more than three decades.

Referring to a picture of the suspect at the scene of the attack, he told MailOnline: 'I've known him for 35 years, I grew up with him. It's 100% him. He lives in Wales, he has four kids and his partner.'

Neighbour Pauline Tibbs, 48, said it had been a 'terrible shock'.

'The police have been back and forth here all day. It's a terrible shock,' she said. 'I've seen him walking in the street but never spoken to him. He seemed normal enough. He has lived here a couple of years and kept himself to himself.'

And another man who lived near Osborne's home said: 'I arrived home from work to find the street crawling with police - it's a complete shock.'

Osborne is alleged to have hired the van from Pontyclun Van Hire, 15 miles away from his home in the Welsh capital.

Owners at the company today hit out at the 'cowardly' attack, saying they were 'shocked and saddened' that one of their vehicles was used in the attack.

It is then claimed that he ploughed his white van into a crowd of Ramadan worshippers helping an elderly man who collapsed in the heat, killing one and injuring at least ten more at 12.20am yesterday morning.

The suspect - who suffered a black eye and cuts to his face and hands - was later filmed repeatedly shouting 'kill me' to the men who grabbed him.

Officers held back crowds after arresting the terror suspect who was smiling, waving and even blowing kisses, with police today praising the 'restraint' shown in aftermath of the van attack.

Witnesses said he 'deliberately' drove onto the pavement outside north London's Muslim Welfare House - yards from the Finsbury Park Mosque - and jumped out of the cab shouting 'I'm going to kill all Muslims - I did my bit'.

But as he tried to run from the scene a group of men gave chase and were filmed pinning the suspect to the floor before dragging him along the road as bodies lay strewn across the ground.

The group were leaving taraweeh, late night prayers observed during the festival of Ramadan, when the van struck. One victim was stuck under its wheels and a group managed to life the vehicle and pull him out.

In footage taken at the scene, worshippers are seen pinning the suspect to the ground and held him until police arrived (left). In another clip, the suspect is seen waving as he is bundled into the back of a police van (right)

Two police officers are seen helping a victim towards an ambulance car as devastated worshippers watch on in horror following last night's attack

On Monday evening, hundreds of locals, worshippers and community figures gathered outside Finsbury Park Mosque to show their support after the attack.

Bishop Adrian Newman said: 'We can see what a wonderfully diverse community we have here in Islington, and London. An attack on one faith is an attack on all. We stand in solidarity, shoulder to shoulder and side by side.'

Rabbi Herschel Gluck added: 'The attack last night only affected 10 people but that's only who was affected psychically, it was an attack on every Muslim in the UK and beyond.

'We are one nation, under one God, living together and working together and co-operating together.

'We have to realise that there is more that unites us than divides us.'

Mahmoud Bin Abdullah, 53, from Enfield: 'I think this has united people. It's a sad event but the message getting across is that we are united.

'It's fantastic when people come together, it's a given a true aspect of Islam that's very welcoming. It was a shock hearing about the attack but sometimes the silver lining is that it will be an eye opener for both sides and they will come to a mutual understanding, no one is a winner and need to unite.'

Bhupinder Singh said: 'We come together because this is an attack on all faiths. We live in London where there is a multicultural community...the community came together at Grenfell Tower and has done again.

'We need to make sure we carry on and we don't want to give any oxygen to hate. We need to show why we are proud to be Londoners, and come together.'

Theresa May has called the terror attack - the fourth in Britain since March - 'sickening' and said Islamophobia appears to have been the motive before visiting the mosque yesterday afternoon (pictured with the Met Commissioner Cressida Dick and Rabbi Herschel Gluck, president of Shomrim in Stamford Hill (right) with Toufik Kacimi, chief executive of the Muslim Welfare House (second right)

The terror attack is in Jeremy Corbyn's Islington constituency and he also went to the mosque to meet north London's faith leaders and members of is Muslim congregation

Forensics teams have sealed off the area where the van ploughed through a crowd and into this dead-end street before the attacker jumped out

The vehicle in question appears to have been rented from a company based in Wales, Pontaclun Van Hire

Police forensic officers examining the van involved in the attack: British Home Secretary Amber Rudd said police 'immediately' treated the incident as a suspected terrorist attack

The local community have been making signs and leaving messages celebrating the diversity of the area in the wake of the attack

Flowers have began to pile up in Finsbury Park after a van hit worshippers in north London praying during Ramadan

Toufik Kacimi, chief executive of the Muslim Welfare House (pictured left), said the suspect had shouted 'I did my bit' after carrying out the attack - Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Neil Basu (right) praised the 'restraint' of those who restrained the suspect

Officers are today pictured at the scene as police confirmed last night's attack is being treated as a terrorist incident

Pictured above are details of the vans available (left) at Pontyclun Van Hire in Pontyclun, South Wales (right), from where the van used in the attack was hired. The website says anyone hiring a car will need to take a driving licence and proof of address

The van was first seen on Seven Sisters Road in north London were it mounted a pavement yards from the area's mosque hitting an elderly man who had collapsed in the heat

Jeremy Corbyn was overcome with emotion as he visited the scene of the terror attack in his north London constituency

Flowers are pictured at the scene of the attack. This note describes the crime as 'hideous' and says: 'This crime is not who we are'

Outside Downing Street the Prime Minister Theresa May described the Finsbury Park as 'another terrorist attack on the streets of London - every bit as sickening as those that have come before.'

Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Mrs May said the attack had 'once again targeted the ordinary and the innocent going about their daily lives - this time, British Muslims as they left a mosque, having broken their fast and prayed together at this sacred time of year'.

The attack is fourth terror attack in Britain since March - one in Manchester and three in London - claiming 36 lives so far.

Finsbury Park terror attack came after warnings of anti-Muslin backlash Sajid Javid speaks to an Imam at the scene of a terror attack in Finsbury Park yesterday as he said the Government was supporting the Muslim community in the wake of the attack The van attack yards from Finsbury Park Mosque follows warnings of an unprecedented anti-Muslim backlash after recent terrorist atrocities. Police in London recorded a spike in the number of Islamophobic incidents in the wake of the London Bridge outrage earlier this month, with 20 recorded on June 6 - compared with a daily average of 3.5. It was the highest daily tally for 2017, and also higher than the numbers registered after the Paris attacks in November 2015, and the murder of Lee Rigby in May 2013. In a speech last week, a former police chief warned that anti-Muslim sentiment online has been 'relentless' following the London Bridge attack on June 3. Mak Chishty, an ex-Metropolitan Police commander who had been the country's most senior Muslim officer before his retirement, said: 'The backlash has been something of a different scale.' While the circumstances and suspected motivations behind the Finsbury Park incident are yet to be made clear, it comes amid mounting concern over far-right extremism in the UK. Warnings that the threat could be growing were raised after the conviction of Thomas Mair for the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox last year. The Government's Prevent and Channel programmes, which work to intervene before individuals are drawn into violent extremism, have seen a rise in the number of referrals linked to far-right ideology. Counter-terrorism police have said that, while the threat is not of the same gravity as that posed by Islamic State or al Qaida, there are extreme right-wing groups attempting to provoke violence and sow discord. Figures on terror-related arrests have shown an increasing number of white suspects are being held. In the year to the end of March, there were 113 arrests of white people, compared with 68 in the year before - an increase of 66%. The white ethnic group accounted for 37% of all terrorism-related arrests in the 12 months, compared with 26% in the previous year. Statistics on individuals' ethnicity are not broken down by type of suspected extremism. Dr Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society think tank, said: 'Coming a year after the murder of Jo Cox, we have witnessed what appears to be another hateful act in the community. 'It is looking increasingly likely that this is the latest example of a growing threat of far-right extremism in the UK. 'The Government must ensure urgently the security services have all the resources they need to investigate and prevent extremism-inspired attacks of whatever origin.' Advertisement

She added: 'Today we come together, as we have done before, to condemn this act and to state once again that hatred and evil of this kind will never succeed.'

Mrs May said that the attack on Muslims was 'every bit as insidious and destructive to our values and our way of life' as the recent string of terror attacks apparently motivated by Islamist extremism, adding: 'We will stop at nothing to defeat it.'

She later visited the mosque and spoke to faith leaders with Met Commissioner Dick.

As details of the attack emerged, the Muslim Council of Britain condemned the incident - which took place shortly after the congregation finished Ramadan evening prayers - as 'the most violent manifestation' yet of Islamophobia and called for extra security around mosques.

The Met Police has now vowed to put extra security around mosques at this 'sensitive time' as Muslims continue to mark the holy month of Ramadan. Mr Basu said it was an 'incredibly challenging time for London' with emergency services 'stretched' but that officers would do all they could to keep people safe.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan also urged people to 'remain calm and vigilant' and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has said the attack was 'quite clearly an attack on Muslims'.

Video posted online of the aftermath of the attack show scenes of chaos as people tried to help the injured.

One man could been seen giving CPR to a victim in the street while another man's head injury was treated with a makeshift dressing. People could be heard shouting and screaming amid the chaos and bloodstains were visible on the pavement.

Further dramatic footage from the scene shows the suspect - who was described as looking 'indifferent' and 'like he didn't care' - waving as he is bundled into the back of a police van.

At the time of the attack, which was just after midnight, several people were heroically giving first aid to an elderly member of the public who had collapsed at the bus stop with a medical issue.

Other witnesses to the attack early on Monday morning have also described how they wrestled the suspected terrorist to the ground - but stopped others from hitting him until officers took over.

Adil Rana, 24, who was outside the mosque when the van drove towards the crowd, said the driver gestured towards and mocked the crowds as he was taken away by police.

He added: 'When he got arrested, he was taunting, saying: 'I'd do it again, I'd do it again.''

Describing the initial moments after the van careered into pedestrians, he went on: 'The driver jumped out and then he was pinned down to the floor and people were punching him and beating him, which was reasonable because of what he's done.

'And then the imam of the mosque actually came out and said: 'Don't hit him, hand him over to the police, pin him down'.'

Footage captured on mobile phones at the scene shows the van driver being held on the ground as people call for police.

A man can be heard urgently shouting: 'No-one touch him - no-one! No-one!'

Abdulrahman Saleh Alamoudi said he was among a group of people helping an elderly worshipper who had fallen down, perhaps because of the heat, when the van swerved towards them.

He told BuzzFeed News: 'Luckily I managed to escape. And then the guy came out of his van and I got him.

'He was screaming, he was saying: 'I'm going to kill all Muslims, I'm going to kill all Muslims.' He was throwing punches.

'Then we managed to get him on the floor. Then he was saying,: 'Kill me, kill me.' I said: 'We are not going to kill you. Why did you do that?' He wouldn't say anything.'

Mr Salah Alamoudi said he had also helped to hold the suspect on the ground for up to half an hour before police arrived.

'The guy, I had to keep him at least half an hour. He was a strong guy. A big man,' he said.

Eyewitness Hussain Ali, 28, said that, while being restrained, the man was protected by the people he is thought to have been targeting.

He said: 'The leader of the mosque said: 'You do not touch him'. He was sitting and holding him like that, people kept holding him.'

The police then arrived and cuffed him.

As well as the one confirmed fatality, police said a further nine casualties are being treated across three London hospitals for 'serious injuries' while two victims sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Mr Basu also confirmed that the probe was being handled by terror the Counter Terrorism Command. Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed the incident is being treated as a potential terror attack and called an emergency meeting of the Cobra Committee.

Speaking this morning outside Scotland Yard, Mr Basu said: 'Sadly Londoners are are waking up to the news of another dreadful incident in the capital that has left a number of people seriously injured.

'This was an attack on London and all Londoners and we should all stand together against extremists whatever their cause. Now is a time to unite those who seek to divide us.'

He added: 'I would like to praise the police officers who immediately responded gave life saving treatment at the scene, but also very much those members of the public who assisted before and after this incident.

'At the scene, detained by members of the community, was the man suspected of being the driver. He has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

'I would like to thank those people who helped police in detaining the man and who worked with officers to calmly and quickly get him in to our custody. Their restraint in the circumstances is commendable.'

Confirming the fatality, he added that the incident unfolded while a man was already receiving first aid.

'Any causative link between his death and the attack will form part of the investigation. It is too early to say whether his death is a result of the attack,' he added.

Today, Toufik Kacimi, chief executive of the Muslim Welfare House, said the suspect had shouted 'I did my bit' after carrying out the attack.

He told Sky News: 'After the event, he did say 'I did my bit'. It means he is not mentally ill, he is conscious, he did what he did deliberately to hit and kill as many Muslims as possible.'

He added that the imam - who had been leading the evening prayer, known as taraweeh - had saved the suspect's life after he ploughed the van into a wall and fences and other members of the public began beating him.

'He hit almost a wall and fences at the end of the road because it was a dead road. So people grabbed him outside and starting hitting him,' he added.

'Our imam went there and saved the life of the attacker. There is a wild video which you can see filmed by one of our worshippers and you can see clearly our imam saving the life of this guy and the guy at this time was saying 'I did my bit'.'

Another witness, who wanted to be identified as Abdulrahman, which is not his real name, said he was one of the people who helped to remove the driver from the van.

'He wanted to run away and was saying, 'I want to kill Muslims',' he said.

'So he came back to the main road and I managed to get him to the ground and me and some other guys managed to hold him until the police arrived, for about 20 minutes I think, until the police arrived.'

Abdulrahman claimed the driver said 'kill me' as he was held on the ground.

Abdikadar Warfa said he also helped to detain the suspect while his friends helped victims.

'I saw a man underneath the van. He was bleeding. My friend said he had to lift the van, I was busy with a man who tried to escape. My friend said he said some words, but I didn't hear it,' he said.

'They (people who were hit) were mostly young. They are very bad. I tried to stop him (the suspect), some people were hitting him but I said stop him and keep him until the police came.

'He was trying to run away but people overpowered him. He was fighting to run away.'

Local resident Abdul Abdullah, 18, who was also at the scene, described the suspect as looking 'indifferent' and 'like he didn't even care'.

Ms Abbott, 63, arrived at the mosque after the terror attack in the early hours of Monday morning when a van struck a number of people

Police were called just after midnight to reports of a vehicle in collision with pedestrians in Seven Sisters Road - it later emerged it was another terror attack

After the attack the man was reportedly tackled by civilians, and a crowd of angry bystanders gave him to police

A pile of blankets can be seen, amid fears that there may have been fatalities in the attack

The Prime Minister is chairing an emergency meeting of the Cobra Committee this morning, as Sadiq Khan ordered more police to be deployed

A police cordon has been set up at Seven Sisters Road this morning as officers flood the scene outside the Muslim Welfare House

Heavily armed police officers remain at the scene this morning as leaders called for security to be stepped up at mosques

A police forensic tent has been erected at Finsbury Park as counter-terrorism units take over the investigation

Brave bystanders wrestled the suspect out of his van and to the ground, while they waited for police officers to arrive

Dozens of paramedics raced to the scene in the early hours, as several casualties were taken to hospitals around the capital

Shocking eyewitness accounts had earlier revealed how the van raced down the bus lane before swerving down a dead end road and mowing down members of the public.

Van was rented in small South Wales village Police today swooped on a small Welsh village van hire company after their £80-a-day vehicle was used in Finsbury Park mosque attack. Officers arrived at 7.30am at the offices of Pontyclun Van Hire - more than 160 miles away from the London mosque. Staff at the company were interviewed by officers at their depot in Pontyclun, 12 miles north of Cardiff. Company staff declined to comment but one neighbouring worker said: 'This is a nightmare for them. They are completely innocent.' One member of staff said: 'We are not saying anything, we don't know anything at the moment.' Owners of a van hire company today hit out at the 'cowardly' attack on the Finsbury Park mosque in one of their vehicles hired more than 160 miles away. The company staff were 'shocked and saddened' that one of their vehicles from Pontyclun Van Hire near Cardiff, South Wales, was used in the attack. And the family-owned company pledged to help police with their investigation into the mosque outrage. Police today swooped on a small Welh village van hire company after their £80-a-day vehicle was taken for the attack. A spokesman for the company said: 'We at Pontyclun Van Hire are shocked and saddened by the incident that took place at Finsbury Park last night. 'We are co-operating fully with the Metropolitan Police investigation and our thoughts are with those who have been injured in this cowardly attack. 'We will not be making any further statement because of the on-going police investigation but will continue to assist the police in any way we can.' Officers arrived at 7.30am at the offices of Pontyclun Van Hire 168 miles away from the London mosque. Advertisement

Adil Rana, 24, said he saw blood and 'people dead on the floor' in the aftermath.

'The van was driving towards us to try and basically hit us at speed and everyone was shocked and people were screaming. There were people on the floor,' he said.

Mr Rana, from Walthamstow, said he also saw the driver being held on the ground by some of the crowd after getting out the vehicle.

He said: 'The driver jumped out and then he was pinned down to the floor and people were punching him and beating him, which was reasonable because of what he's done.

'And then the imam of the mosque actually came out and said 'Don't hit him, hand him over to the police, pin him down'.'

Mr Rana said the driver gestured and mocked the crowds as he was taken away by police. 'When he got arrested, he was taunting, saying 'I'd do it again, I'd do it again',' he added.

Emergency service crews were also seen giving cardiac massages to the injured in a desperate bid to save them, but unconfirmed reports that two other suspects fled the van were denied by police.

The police operation is being handled by counter-terrorism units, while the suspect has been taken to hospital and will be detained once he has been discharged, and will then face a mental health assessment.

Today, police and forensic officers were seen scouring the area for clues as the terror investigation got underway.

Flowers were handed to police, who put the tributes inside the cordoned off area. One tribute reads: 'This hideous crime is not who we are. Finsbury Park represents the best of London. Love and tolerance.'

Staff from a local cafe were also seen giving coffees and bottles of water to officers guarding the scene.

Police said the suspect had been taken to hospital as a precaution and would be taken into custody once discharged and subjected to a mental health assessment in due course.

Some witnesses at the scene said more than one attacker may have been involved.

But the Met said: 'At this early stage of this investigation, no other suspects at the scene have been identified or reported to police, however the investigation continues.'

Meanwhile, a member of staff at Pontyclun Van Hire said the company would not be issuing a statement. She said: 'We are not saying anything, we don't know anything at the moment.'

The website shows that anyone wanting to hire a vehicle must show their driving licence and a utility bill or bank statement featuring a current address.

Today, police interviewed staff at the company, which is based 12 miles north of Cardiff.

The Finsbury Park Mosque gained notoriety more than a decade ago for sermons by hate preacher Abu Hamza, who was imam from 1997 until 2003 and was sentenced to life in a U.S. prison in January 2015 for his conviction on terrorism-related charges.

A new board of trustees and management took over in February 2005, a year after Abu Hamza was arrested by British police.

Since the, the mosque has undergone wholesale changes and become far more liberal under new leader Mohammed Kozbar.

Attendance has greatly increased among worshippers from various communities, according to the mosque's website.

Mr Kozbar, described the incident as 'a cowardly attack which is no different than the attacks in Manchester and London'.

'Our community is in shock, our thought and prayer with those who have been affected by this,' he said.

A group of Muslims prayed on the pavement following the atrocity. The incident has been slammed as a 'violent manifestation of Islamophobia', with Muslim leaders calling for extra security around mosques

How mosque known for hate cleric Abu Hamza transformed itself into a pillar of the community Abu Hamza preached at the mosque from 1997 to 2003 before being jailed for inciting violence The award-winning Finsbury Park Mosque is a beacon for community relations and works tirelessly to promote a better understanding of Islam. In 2014, it became the first Muslim place of worship in the UK to be handed the prestigious Visible Quality Mark by national body Community Matter, for combatting extremism. Finsbury Park Mosque was the first mosque and the third faith organisation in the country to receive the award. However it gained notoriety more than a decade ago for sermons by radical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who was sentenced to life in a U.S. prison in January 2015 for his conviction on terrorism-related charges. A new board of trustees and management took over in February 2005, a year after Hamza was arrested by British police, since when attendance has greatly increased among worshippers from various communities, according to the mosque's website. Hamza preached there from 1997 to 2003 before being jailed for inciting violence. He was later extradited to the United States and jailed for life in New York on terrorism charges in 2015. In 2015, the mosque was one of around 20 that took part in an open day organised by the MCB to promote better understanding of Islam following Islamist-inspired terrorist attacks in Paris. The mosque has undergone wholesale changes and become far more liberal under new leader Mohammed Kozbar. However despite the change in leadership and a new focus on inter-faith relations, the mosque reported it had received a string of threatening emails and letters in the wake of the terror attacks in Paris. The mosque said it received hate mail following the radical cleric's conviction for terrorist charges, adding: 'Despite being free of radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza for more than a decade, Finsbury Park mosque still suffers from its former association.' The Finsbury Park Mosque has undergone wholesale changes and become far more liberal under new leader Mohammed Kozbar In a statement posted on its website today, the Finsbury Park Mosque said it 'condemns in the strongest terms a heinous terrorist attack'. 'The van driver deliberately mowed down Muslim men and women leaving late evening prayers from Finsbury Park Mosque and Muslim Welfare House just after midnight,' the statement said. 'This is a callous terrorist attack, which coincides with the murdered MP, Jo Cox, anniversary.' The mosque's chairman, Mohammed Kozbar, described the incident as 'a cowardly attack which is no different than the attacks in Manchester and London'. 'Our community is in shock, our thought and prayer with those who have been affected by this,' he said. The statement added: 'Finally, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. 'We urge all attending mosques and going about their business to remain vigilant in this difficult time.' Advertisement

The incident comes almost three months to the day since Khalid Masood killed five people after mounting the pavement at Westminster Bridge and stabbing a police officer to death

Khuram Butt lies dying in Borough Market shortly after he was shot by armed police following another incident involving a van on London Bridge