Westminster car crash: Man arrested on suspicion of terror offences - BBC News

August 14, 2018.

Westminster car crash: Man arrested on suspicion of terror offences

The car can be seen crashing into a barrier
A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament.

The vehicle swerved into cyclists and pedestrians shortly after 07:30 BST, injuring three people.

The suspect, in his late 20s, is not believed to be known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police, and is not co-operating with officers.

One woman is being treated in hospital for serious but non life-threatening injuries.

Scotland Yard's head of counter terrorism Neil Basu said there was "no intelligence at this time of further danger" to London or the UK as a whole.

The suspect, who has not been formally identified, is being held at a south London police station and the vehicle is being searched.

No-one else was in the car and no weapons have been found. The government's Cobra emergency committee is meeting later.

The suspect, on the right of the image, can be seen being taken away by police
A number of eyewitnesses have said the silver Ford Fiesta, which was travelling westbound, appeared to deliberately hit cyclists and pedestrians as it swerved into the opposite lane.

Footage released by the BBC shows the moment when the car drives over a pedestrian crossing before crashing into the security barriers. A police officer can be seen jumping over another barrier to get out of the way.

Parliament is currently not sitting.

Image caption
Cyclists were seen on the ground after the crash
Westminster tube station is closed and streets around Millbank, Parliament Square and Victoria Tower Gardens have been cordoned off. Nearby Strutton Ground has also been closed to the public.

People were moved further back from the area twice as police put up a Terrorism Act cordon.

Images posted to social media showed a man in handcuffs being led away from the car by officers after the crash.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said two people were taken to hospital with "injuries that are not believed to be serious" and a third patient with minor injuries was assessed at the scene.

One of those taken to hospital, a man, has since been discharged.

Image caption
The crashed car can be seen highlighted in this image
BBC News home affairs correspondent June Kelly described the terror arrest as a "significant development".

"The police will be looking at this man's background, his identity - they'll either know it or they will be working towards it," she said. "They will be looking at his beliefs his associates, also his mental state.

"Also, crucially, is he on their radar - is he somebody who was known to them?"

Prime Minister Theresa May said: "My thoughts are with those injured in the incident in Westminster and my thanks to the emergency services for their immediate and courageous response."

Home Secretary Sajid Javid also thanked emergency services for their quick response.

Armed police responded after a vehicle crashed into security barriers
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with police and that he "utterly condemns all acts of terrorism on our city".

Mayor of London
✔
@MayorofLondon
 A man has been arrested after a car was driven into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. Police have confirmed that the incident is being treated as a terrorist act. All Londoners, like me, utterly condemn all acts of terrorism on our city. https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/mayor-london/statement-mayor-london …

8:17 PM - Aug 14, 2018
City Hall in the sun
Statement from the Mayor of London
Incident outside the Houses of Parliament is being treated as a terrorist act.

london.gov.uk
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the bravery of emergency services "keeps us safe day in, day out".

Skip Twitter post by @jeremycorbyn

Jeremy Corbyn
✔
@jeremycorbyn
 My thoughts are with those hurt and injured outside Parliament this morning in what is being treated as a terrorist incident.

Our thanks go to our emergency services who responded immediately. Their bravery keeps us safe day in, day out.

8:26 PM - Aug 14, 2018
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End of Twitter post by @jeremycorbyn
'I ran for my life' - eyewitness accounts
Witness: "I saw a man drive towards Parliament at speed"
Barry Williams, a BBC member of staff based at Millbank, said: "I heard lots of screams and turned round.

"The car went onto the wrong side of the road to where cyclists were waiting at lights and ploughed into them.

"Then it swerved back across the road and accelerated as fast as possible and hit the barrier at full pelt.

"It was a small silver car and he hit it at such speed the car actually lifted off the ground and bounced.

"Then the police just jumped. Two officers managed to leap over the security barriers and then the armed police vehicles all sped towards the scene."

Another witness, called Kirsty, said: "A car drove the wrong way round the road, drove through about 20 cyclists and crashed into a wall. It looks like only one woman was seriously injured."

Jason Williams told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the driver had "driven at speed - more than 40 mph".

He added: "There was smoke coming out of the car. I have seen people on the ground, lying on the road. I don't know if they have actually been hit by the vehicle or not.

"I saw at least 10 people lying down. I was told basically to move away, to run. I have run for my life."

He said that "it looked deliberate... it didn't look like an accident".

Forensics officers could be seen at the scene of the crash
More than 10 police vehicles and at least three ambulances were at the scene outside Parliament.

Firearms officers and at least two police sniffer dogs have been searching the area.

British Transport Police said it was increasing patrols in England, Scotland and Wales and that its officers would be "highly visible on trains and at stations".

A bus driver who was driving past the scene at the time said he saw smoke coming out of the car.

Victor Ogbomo said: "I just stopped the bus. The police said we have to move back, then in less than five minutes the response team came."

Analysis
By Dominic Casciani, BBC News home affairs correspondent

Security arrangements at Parliament have progressively tightened since 2001. In the aftermath of the 7/7 attacks, new truck bomb-proof barriers were installed in an effort to "target harden" Westminster. These include the reinforced low black rampart-like walls that surround Parliament itself and a highly visible armed police presence.

Visitors need to go through a chicane-like system designed to help armed officers spot suspects. The one significant weak spot was the main vehicle gates - as became apparent in March 2017's one-man attack.

That triggered an internal security review that has led to changes that remain secret - although it's apparent to Londoners that there are now more armed police than ever before patrolling the area.

The threat of terrorism is a constant concern for Parliamentarians - it's not new. The IRA murdered Airey Neave MP in 1979 in a car bomb that exploded within the palace grounds. And the dilemma remains the same: how best to balance security with guaranteeing that the heart of British democracy remains open to the people.

Ewalina Ochab, who also saw the crash, said: "I think it looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers."

She said: "I was walking on the other side of the road. I heard some noise and someone screamed. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement."

The vehicle did not appear to have a front registration plate when it crashed, she added.

Westminster Bridge has also been closed
Westminster station is closed for entry and exit, Transport for London said, and is open only for interchange between lines.

Rush hour traffic is being diverted and workers have been told there may be a long wait before roads are reopened.

The Supreme Court has also been closed to the public.

The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete. The measures were extended in the wake of the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017 when Khalid Masood ploughed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing four people.

Scotland Yard is asking anyone with information on Tuesday's crash to call 0800 789 321. Anyone with video or pictures of the crash is asked to send them to police.