French prosecutors have opened a terrorism investigation into the attack outside London’s Parliament because three French teens are among those injured.
The latest on the attack outside Britain’s Parliament (all times local):
9:25 a.m.
French prosecutors have opened a terrorism investigation into the attack outside London’s Parliament because three French teens were among those injured.
The Paris prosecutor’s office says that its anti-terrorism section has opened an investigation into attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise. The move means French police would likely travel to London to pursue their investigation.
French authorities, whose country has suffered a string of deadly extremist attacks, have offered to work with British authorities on the investigation.
The injured French were part of a group of high school students from Brittany in western France on a school trip to London.
Three people were killed and many injured when a man mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and stabbed a police officer Wednesday. The attacker was killed by police.
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9:20 a.m.
Romanian officials say a woman who plunged into the River Thames when a man plowed into pedestrians with an SUV on London’s Westminster Bridge was a Romanian tourist in London to celebrate her boyfriend’s birthday.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ionut Valcu said Thursday that the woman fell into the Thames. It wasn’t clear if she jumped or was thrown into the water by the SUV.
Romanian Ambassador Dan Mihalache told Realitatea TV late Wednesday that the woman sustained serious head injuries and has badly damaged lungs. Her boyfriend suffered a foot fracture. The pair haven’t been named.
Mihalache said: „They were tourists, unfortunately they were unlucky. They had come to celebrate his birthday. “ He said the pair planned to wed.
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8:40 a.m.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the attack outside Parliament in London underlined the need for pooling global efforts against terrorism.
In a letter to British Prime Minister Theresa May released by the Kremlin Thursday, Putin said the „forces of terror are acting in an increasingly treacherous and cynical way. “
He emphasized that „it’s necessary to unite efforts of all members of international community to confront the terror threat. “
Putin offered condolences to the families of the victims and wished a quick recovery to those injured in Wednesday’s attack.
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7:50 a.m.
British police say they believe the attacker who killed three people including a police officer outside Parliament acted alone and was „inspired by international terrorism. “
Metropolitan Police counterterrorism chief Mark Rowley says that police have raided six addresses and arrested seven people in connection with Wednesday’s attack by a knife-wielding man who also mowed down pedestrians with an SUV. Rowley refused to identify the attacker.
He revised the death toll down to four, including the attacker, a police officer guarding Parliament and two civilians. He said that 29 people required hospitalization and seven of them are in critical condition.
–This item has been corrected to show that death toll, including attacker, has been revised to four.
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7:25 a.m.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the attack outside Britain’s Parliament in London.
The rampage occurred hours after Erdogan warned that the safety of Western citizens could be in peril if European nations persist in what he described as their arrogant conduct.
In a series of tweets posted late Wednesday, Erdogan said Turkey shared „the pain of the United Kingdom. “
Erdogan tweeted: „We stand in solidarity with the U. K., our friend and ally, against terrorism, the greatest threat to global peace and security. “
Earlier Wednesday, Erdogan warned that Europeans wouldn’t be able to walk the streets safely, in remarks he made amid tensions over Dutch and German restrictions on Turkish ministers wanting to hold campaign meetings with Turkish citizens.
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7:15 a.m.
British armed police have carried out a raid on a property in the central city of Birmingham, after an attacker killed four people before being fatally shot by police within Parliament’s grounds.
Police refused to say if the raid was linked to the rampage in the heart of Britain’s seat of power. But British media including the Press Association on Thursday quoted an unnamed witness saying that the operation was linked to the attack that also injured around 40 people.
A knife-wielding man drove an SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing the vehicle into the gates of Parliament on Wednesday. He scaled the fences and later fatally stabbed a policeman before being gunned down by officers. He hasn’t been identified. Three pedestrians were among the dead.
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4:10 a.m.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says the attack outside the British Parliament in London was the first subject of discussion when he met with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia on Thursday morning in Canberra.
Li says that „together, we send our condolences to the prime minister of the U. K. and together we condemn terrorism and we stand against all forms of terrorism. “
The Chinese leader says that „there cannot be continued instability in the world,“ adding: „We must cherish peace and stability. “
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1:35 a.m.
New Zealand’s prime minister is condemning the attack outside Britain’s Parliament that resulted in five deaths, including the assailant.
Prime Minister Bill English told reporters in Rotorua that he has written to British Prime Minister Theresa May to express support for her government and to offer his country’s condolences to the victim’s families.
A knife-wielding man went on the deadly rampage in the heart of Britain’s seat of power Wednesday, plowing a car into pedestrians on London’s Westminster Bridge before stabbing a police officer to death inside the gates of Parliament.
