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Five dead after major terror attack in London city centre

28 injured after car strikes crowd on Westminster Bridge before continuing to Parliament

Police officer fatally stabbed after preventing attacker from entering Parliament

Attacker then shot dead by officers arriving at scene

Theresa May bundled into car by police and Parliament put in lockdown

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack

Attacker was British born man who had been probed by the MI5 over violent extremism

Incidents occurred on one year anniversary of Brussels attack

Extra police deployed to streets of London - Army on standby

Theresa May condemns "sick and depraved" attack

British, French, Australian, Chinese and South Korean nationals believed to be among the injured Five people have died and 28 others have been injured after a major terror attack in the heart of London on Wednesday.

Five people have died and 28 others have been injured after a major terror attack in the heart of London on Wednesday. Islamic State (ISIS) have claimed responsibility for the attack, the terror group's news agency AMAQ have said. An ISIS statement published by the Amaq news agency said a “soldier of the caliphate” carried out the tragedy by the Houses of Parliament. ISIS said the perpetrator was following a call made by the group to launch attacks on civilians and security forces in countries who are allied to US-led bombing in Syria and Iraq. The Prime Minister has said that the attacker was a British born man who had been probed by M15 over violent extremism. A car ploughed through a crowd of people on Westminster Bridge shortly after 2.30pm yesterday afternoon, killing at least two. The car, a grey Hyundai i40, then continued down towards Parliament before colliding into a gate. The attacker then attempted to storm into Parliament before being confronted by a police officer, named yesterday evening as Keith Palmer. Mr Palmer, a 48-year-old husband and father, was fatally stabbed while stopping the killer. The attacker was then shot dead by another officer. Another member of the public was also killed in the attack, although police have not specified where this fatality occurred. Two other police officers are in a serious condition, along with several members of the public. LONDON ATTACK: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR

TWITTER Police patrolling Westminster this morning after last night's terror attack

Speaking on Thursday morning, acting deputy police commissioner Mark Rowley said: “The latest figures I now have are that there are currently only four dead and 29 people were treated in hospital. “We are still collecting numbers of walking wounded. “Sadly seven of those in hospital are still in a critical condition. "Tragically the deaths included PC Keith Palmer who was protecting parliament. Two members of the public. "A woman aged in her mid 40s and a man aged in his mid 50s." Mr Rowley clarified that the fourth man who died was the terrrorist who was shot dead by armed police. He said: "We have searched six addresses and made seven arrests. "The enquiries in Birmingham, London and other parts of the country are continuing." Two patients from the attack are being treated at St Thomas’ Hospital following the attack. The hospital has reported that one man and one woman have been admitted to the hospital and are in a stable condition. Mr Mohammed Shafiq, Chief Executive of the Ramadhan Foundation has called for increased security outside mosques following the attack. Mr Shafiq said: “Following on from yesterday’s terrorist attack at Westminster the Ramadhan Foundation has called for all Mosques to step up security and remain vigilant to any possible vigilante attacks.”

GETTY British police officers during a minute's silence to commemorate the victims

Mr Rowley said the attacker acted alone and was inspired by ‘international terrrorism’. Pedestrians were forced to jump over walls and into the Thames in an attempt to avoid being hit by the car on the bridge. One woman was pulled alive from the river - albeit in a serious condition. Forty people were injured, several seriously. Prime Minister Theresa May was bundled into a police car and evacuated from the scene. Speaking outside Number 10 this evening, May vowed the city will continue as normal in the face of terror as she condemned the "sick and depraved" attack in Westminster. After chairing a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee, Mrs May paid tribute to the "exceptional men and women" of the police force who responded to the attack. The PM said: “We will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart.” She added any attempt to defeat the values that Parliament stands for was "doomed to failure". The PM confirmed the UK's terror threat level will remain at "severe”. A suspicious package was then discovered at Parliament sparking an evacuation, which also saw teams of police dogs swarm Parliament square. Scotland Yard are treating the incident as "terror attack until we know otherwise".

Westminster terror attack in pictures Thu, March 22, 2018 These devastating photographs capture the carnage and terror in the Westminster terror attack in London one year ago today. Play slideshow PA 1 of 43 Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood (centre) helps emergency services attend to a police officer outside the Palace of Westminster, London

The attacker were described by witnesses as being a middle-aged Asian. Giving a statement outside Scotland Yard, police spokesman Commander BJ Harrington said: "A senior national coordinator has declared this a terrorist incident. "Although we remain open-minded to the motive, a counter-terrorism investigation is already under way led by the Met counter-terrorism command. "We received a number of different reports which included a body in the river, a car in collision with pedestrians and a man armed with a knife. "Officers were already in the location as part of routine policing but immediately additional officers were sent." Former president of the US, Barack Obama, tweeted: “My heart goes out to the victims and their families in London. No act of terror can shake the strength and resilience of our British ally.” Barry Gardiner, the shadow international trade secretary, has said: "Everything has to be seen to get back to normal as quickly as possible so that people realise that this sort of attack is ultimately a futile gesture.” The former Italian Olympic athlete Maurizio Stecca, who won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, was in Westminster when the tragedy struck. He said: “I was going out with the Italia Thunder team when we heard screams. We saw the attacker holding two knives, he hit the guard at the entrance, and soon after he was shot with three bullets by an undercover agent. It was like being in a movie.”

POLICE PC Keith Palmer died while protecting Parliament from the attacker

Theresa May was in Westminster at the time of the attack and was bundled into a car by plain-clothed police officers. A Government spokesperson said she was safe. She has just chaired a meeting of Britain's emergency response committee COBRA. A spokesperson said: "The thoughts of the Prime Minister and the Government are with those killed and injured in this appalling incident, and with their families." She ordered the flags at Downing Street to be lowered to half-mast. The Queen has spoken out after the terror attack saying her thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathy are with everyone affected. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said that some police outside parliament are unarmed, which should be reviewed. He said: “PC Palmer did keep Parliament safe by making the ultimate sacrifice - the attacker didn’t get into Parliament, into the chamber, to the Prime Minister. “ISIS is a new challenge for the security services because these are very ordinary things, a knife and a 4x4 and terrorists who don’t want to negotiate. "London has seen terrorism before and it’s faced it down. We will make it through this and get back to normal as quickly as possible."

GETTY MP Tobias Ellwood tended to victims following the attack

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said that the Government's top priority following the Westminster attack was "the security of its people". Speaking during a visit to Pakistan, Ms Rudd urged the public to remain calm and keep vigilant. She said: "I know the whole country will be thinking of and praying for those affected by this terrible incident. Our top priority is people's security. "We have the best police and security services in the world and we will let them get on with their job." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Our thanks and gratitude go to the police and emergency services who responded so bravely, and to those, including the MP Tobias Ellwood, who went to the aid of the injured and dying. "This was not only an attack on innocent people. It was also an attack on our democracy. "But I know that Londoners and people across the country will stand together in defence of our values and diversity."

GETTY Metropolitan Police's Acting Deputy Commissioner, and Head of Counter Terrorism, Mark Rowley

Four British students are believed to be among those injured during the incident. Owen Lambert, 18, and Travis Frain, 19, are thought to have been struck by the grey Hyundai i40 outside the Houses of Parliament yesterday. Angela Frain, Travis’s mum, said he was rushed to hospital where he is being treated for a cracked rib and injuries to his hand and arm. Among the other victims are five South Koreans, according to the foreign ministry in Seoul. Three women and one man in their 50s and 60s suffered injuries including broken bones during the attack, while another woman in her 60s suffered a head injury while falling and is now in hospital receiving surgery. The seriousness of the injuries is not yet known but the five South Koreans are being treated in two London hospitals. Meanwhile a spokesman confirmed three French schoolchildren were among those injured in the attack. He added that the three pupils are from the Saint-Joseph high school in Concarneau, Brittany. French prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, tweeted: "Solidarity with our British friends struck terribly, full support to the injured French pupils, their families and their classmates." Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has also confirmed that an Australian woman was among those injured in the attack. Her foot was run over during the attack and she is recovering in hospital, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Australian media.

STEVE REED Labour & Co-op MP took a photo showing a barricaded door in Parliament

The House of Commons was suspended for the day, with hundreds of MPs, staff and visitors held inside the building. Along with the House of Lords it will sit as usual tomorrow. Express.co.uk reporter Vickiie Oliphant reported dozens of ambulances and police vehicles were at the scene with more arriving every second. She said an air ambulance later landed in Parliament Square, while three helicopters were spotted in the skies above Westminster. And strict police cordons are in place, with police continuing to extend the area taped off to members of the public and reporters. Speaking to reporters outside the central London hospital, junior doctor Colleen Anderson from St Thomas' Hospital said a female pedestrian had died. She also said she treated a police officer in his 30s with a head injury who had been taken to King's College Hospital. She said: "I confirmed one fatality. A woman. She was under the wheel of a bus. "She died, confirmed her death at the scene."

EXPRESS A map showing what happened in yesterday's attacks

Ms Anderson said: "There were people across the bridge. There were some with minor injuries, some catastrophic. "Some had injuries they could walk away from or who have life-changing injuries. There were maybe a dozen (injured)." NHS staff at St Thomas' Hospital, which is adjacent to the bridge, dropped everything as they fled from their workstations and across Westminster bridge after the chaos unfolded. Images from the scene show hospital staff attending to casualties, as nurses pile up blankets to distribute to those involved in the attack. Express.co.uk was alerted to the incident by a series of blasts before a group of people were seen running towards Parliament from Westminster Bridge. A handful of people then entered the parliamentary estate before one appeared to repeatedly attack a police officer with an implement.



Journalists in the press gallery were told to stay inside offices and keep away from windows as security officers dealt with the incident. MP Tobias Ellwood was pictured at the scene tending to victims.

TWITTER An incident has occurred outside Parliament in Westminster this afternoon

The Government minister, seen with blood smeared on his face, served in the British Army from 1991. He battled to save the life of the police officer who was injured outside Parliament. Mr Ellwood's brother died in a bombing in Bali in 2002. Tory MP Michael Fabricant has now called for a memorial to be created to the courage of the police officer who was killed in the line of duty. He said: “The police do a brave and marvellous job protecting us from all sorts of dangers, not just in London but all over the country. “When the dust has settled, we need a permanent memorial to the brave police officer who lost his life today. “The memorial should be as close as possible to the place where he died, not just as a reminder of the sacrifice he made but also to commemorate the work of all police officers who risk their lives to protect us. ”Witnesses described seeing a middle-aged man carrying a knife and running."

GETTY Forensics teams at Westminster Bridge following today's attack

Quentin Letts, the Daily Mail’s sketchwriter, said he saw a man attack police outside Parliament before being shot. He said: “I saw a thick-set man in black clothes come through the gates into New Palace Yard, just below Big Ben." He said the man was carrying what looked like a stick as he carried out the attack. One eye-witness at the scene told our reporter Vickiie Oliphant that he didn't see the incident took place, but heard several shouts and screams as he stood in Parliament square. He added many were running away from the incident, but when he turn to look at what was happening he also saw many more running towards the attack. His wife said: "Police cars and ambulances were here in what felt like seconds, the area was packed so quickly. "So many people semed to rush to help, it was amazing but terrifying at the same time."

REUTERS Heavily armed police outside Westminster today

PA A map outlining the route taking by the car in today's attack

Witness Jayne Wilkinson said: "We were taking photos of Big Ben and we saw all the people running towards us, and then there was an Asian guy in about his 40s carrying a knife about seven or eight inches long. "And then there were three shots fired, and then we crossed the road and looked over. The man was on the floor with blood. "He had a lightweight jacket on, dark trousers and a shirt. "He was running through those gates, towards Parliament, and the police were chasing him."

PA Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood (left in suit) stands in shock after today's attack

Her partner David Turner added: "There was a stampede of people running out. "You saw the people and you thought 'what the hell is going on'." Another witness told Express.co.uk reporter Vickiie Oliphant the scene was sheer "chaos". They said: "There's no tubes, no buses, no taxis and people can't even walk anywhere. It's chaos." Westminster tube station was evacuated and under lockdown from 3pm, while buses were unable to operate properly due to huge swathes of roads being closed - from Whitehall to much of the area around St James Park. One eyewitness told Express.co.uk he was walking past the square in the aftermath of the attack, and "suddenly there were ambulances, police cars, everything. "People were running but I couldn't work out where to or why, and all you could hear for hours afterwards was the sound of sirens and helicopters overhead."

PA Emergency services at the scene of the incident in Westminster Bridge today

According to one woman who syas she was on the bridge when the car struck, the silver people carrier car mounted the pavement "hitting five or six or seven people" at first. She said: "It was very frightening to see people running towards you. Obviously it was police dealing with the incident, but to think someone could have got inside the building... "My thoughts are with all those people, they were the absolute heroes of the situation." Around 1,000 people who were taken to Westminster Abbey for safety are now being processed by police. Scotland Yard urged the crowd to put delays in letting them leave into context. Chief Superintendent Raj Kohli told the crowd: "There are families planning funerals as we speak so let's put it into context."

EPA An armed police officer running outside Parliament

After the incident, Radoslaw Sikorski posted a video to Twitter purporting to show people lying injured in the road on Westminster Bridge. Mr Sikorski, a senior fellow at Harvard's Centre for European Studies, wrote: "A car on Westminster Bridge has just mowed down at least five people." Commons Leader David Lidington said: “At the moment the very clear advice from the police and director of security in the house is we should remain under suspension and the chamber remain in lockdown until we receive advice that it is safe.” The London Eye has been suspended with tourists currently being evacuated carriage-by-carriage. The Met Police asked people to avoid the area. A spokesman said: “Police are asking people to avoid the following areas: Parliament Square; Whitehall; Westminster Bridge; Lambeth Bridge; Victoria Street up to the junction with Broadway and the Victoria Embankment up to Embankment tube.”

EPA Police at Westminster following the incidents

GETTY A victim of the attack being treated by paramedics

Tim Farron Lib Dem leader told Express.co.uk: "I can see people injured on Westminster bridge. There are a lot of ambulances. I was coming down the escalators with loads of other people and police suddenly stopped us all. There was no way back up and it was a bottleneck. "It was very scary. Everyone was panicking but the solidarity shown was inspiring. We're not sure if it was one or two attackers, or if it was the bloke in the 4x4 who attacked everyone on the bridge. I heard gunshots, but that was the police taking down the attacker." Philip Davies MP said: "Yes, we were in the middle of a vote when the incident happened and so along with many other MPs I am currently locked in the voting lobby watching the news on the TV in there. "People are shocked. Through the window of the voting lobby we can see armed police units going round the parliamentary estate. We were told there were attackers by the doorkeepers"

PA Police officers comforting each other after a colleague was attacked in Westminster today

Extra armed police will be on the streets of the capital following the attack in Westminster, Sadiq Khan said as he vowed that "Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism". The London Mayor said his thoughts were with the family of the Metropolitan Police officer who died "doing his duty protecting our city". He said: "Londoners should be aware that there will be additional armed and unarmed police officers on our streets from tonight in order to keep Londoners and all those visiting our city safe. "I want to reassure all Londoners and all our visitors not to be alarmed - our city remains one of the safest in the world. "London is the greatest city in the world and we stand together in the face of those who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life. We always have, and we always will. "Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism."

VICKIIE OLIPHANT Westminster is in lockdown following two incidents today

GETTY One woman was pulled alive from the river after a car struck a crowd in Westminster Bridge

A joint statement from Commons Speaker John Bercow and Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, said: "On behalf of Members of both Houses of Parliament, we wish to offer our thoughts to all those affected and their families. "We would also like to express our gratitude to the police and all emergency services." David Morris MP said: "I don't think this was an organised attack. It seemed a bit lone wolf and police handled it quickly. "We've been told not to go to the terrace. Lots of shouting heard. Security is marvellous everyone calm. "We think there might be another attack." Genina Hoffman, from Canada, was at an event around the corner from the Westminster on Carlton street at the time of the attack. She told the Express.co.uk: “There was a private event so as soon as we arrived we had heard this had happened. “We were told our guest might be delayed because the Tube was closed because of what was happening here. “We had a beautiful balcony from where our event was held, so we could look on and saw the helicopters that were hovering around the scene. “Everyone was drawn to what was happening down below. She added: “It’s pretty shocking. You feel quite invincible until those events do happen and they are close by you. Then we heard the news went global and us being right around the corner was a little bit surreal.”

GETTY Police running in Westminster following the attack today

A spokesperson from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said: “Two patients are being treated at St Thomas’ Hospital following today’s security incident in Westminster – one man and one woman. "Both patients have been admitted to St Thomas’ and both are in a stable condition.” A later statement from the hospital on Thursday evening said: "Two patients were treated at St Thomas’ Hospital following yesterday’s security incident in Westminster – one man and one woman. The man has now left hospital and the woman remains in a stable condition." Other victims are being treated at the trauma unit at King's College Hospital.

PA Theresa May said evil would not win during a speech tonight

NC A car crashed into a gate outside Parliament after ploughing through Westminster Bridge

European Union's chief negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier said: "I’m sure you’re aware as I speak in front of you here today there are some serious events unfolding at the parliament in London there are victims. Seeing as we will be talking about this topic I wanted to take a moment to express my solidarity with the British authorities and citizens." He also said today's events show how we'll still need to work together on security after Brexit. In December, a report from the EU law enforcement agency said London was among the countries “high on the target list” from Islamic State.

NC An Air Ambulance in front of Westminster this afternoon

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "Our thoughts are with the victims of today's attack in London and their families. Canadians remain united with the people of the UK." A White House spokesman said: "President Donald J. Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom to offer his condolences on today's terror attack in London and his praise for the effective response of security forces and first responders. "He pledged the full co-operation and support of the United States government in responding to the attack and bringing those responsible to justice." Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, has sent a message to the Queen expressing his condolences. He said: “In the fight against all forms of terrorism, the United Kingdom can count on the firm commitment of Italy, in the belief that international cooperation will continue to be a vital aspect to effectively combat violence and intolerance.” The Spanish Royal Family has tweeted: “Shocked by the London attack, all our solidarity with the British people and their institutions in the fight against terror.”

PA Police confronting the attacker outside Parliament