Suspect wearing 'hoax device' shot dead by police after multiple stabbings around London Bridge

[EnterpriseSovereign]

One man has been shot dead after a "number of people" were stabbed in an incident near London Bridge, the Metropolitan Police said.

Neil Basu, the force's assistant commissioner for specialist operations said the incident is being treated as terrorism.

He added the suspect was wearing a hoax device.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Mr Basu announced: "At approximately 2pm today, police were called to a stabbing at a premises near London Bridge.

"Emergency services attended including officers from the City of London Police and Metropolitan Police.

"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."

He continued: "Due to reports that the suspect might have had an explosive device specialist officers attended the scene.

"However, I can confirm at this time we believe a device that was strapped to the body of the suspect is a hoax explosive device."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said those involved will be "brought to justice" as he paid tribute to the "bravery" of the emergency services and members of the public who intervened.

On Friday evening, the area remained on lockdown as police continued their investigation into the attack.

What do we know about the attack and how it unfolded?

Emergency services were called to the scene at 1.58pm and closed off both sides of the bridge.

Video appears to show armed police pulling away a member of the public who had been wrestling with a man on the ground.

Seconds later, a firearm appears to be discharged.

Buses and other vehicles have been abandoned on the bridge and a cordon stretching back towards Borough Market is in place.

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ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia was at Cannon St, north of the scene, and reported seeing dozens of officers, some of them on horseback.

One officer told her they were dealing with a "major incident".

Nurse Jackie Bensfield, 32, described how she asked to be let off a bus on London Bridge after she heard "five or six" gunshots.

Ms Bensfield, who was on her way home from work, said she exited the bus and "ran like hell" to escape the shots.

Connor Allen, who was in his van on the bridge when it was evacuated said: "Everyone just started running, you heard these pops and that was it. We just got out the van and started running."

Prime minister Boris Johnson hails 'extraordinary bravery' of public who tackled suspect

Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to "the extraordinary bravery of those members of the public who physically intervened to protect the lives of others and for me they represent the very best of our country and I thank them on behalf of all of our country".

He added: "Anybody involved in this crime and these attacks will be hunted down and will be brought to justice."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: "Shocking reports from London Bridge. My thoughts are with those caught up in the incident. Thank you to the police and emergency services who are responding."

Jo Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats, praised "brave police who are dealing with it with professionalism". She said her thoughts are with those affected.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan thanked members of the public who risked "their own safety this afternoon".

Witnesses report seeing man with 'very scary device, like a bomb device'

Members of the public who were near the scene of the attack have reported seeing police detain a suspect, who is believed to have been wearing a mock explosive device.

Witness Cecilia Sodero was on the top deck of a bus going over London Bridge when she heard shots and saw a man lying on the ground with a "very scary device, like a bomb device".

She continued: "The police officers finally removed the knife. But then what happened is when they shot the guy, the guy is still alive, and they shoot and he's trying to pull the black jacket off so I was able to see the vest that he was wearing.

"And it seems like a very scary device, like a bomb device, at that point we just ran away from the bus, crossing the bridge in the other direction.

"The whole thing was very scary, to be honest."

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ITV News Security Editor Rohit Kachroo, who is at London Bridge, said pubs and bars were being evacuated and police helicopters were hovering close to the scene.

A witness who works in a stall in Borough Market, said it looked like a minor incident at first.

Laurence Verfaillie saidL "I thought it was a car crash, it looked like it was pretty minor.

"Suddenly a trader told me the ice cream seller on the bridge has run away yelling there has been an incident.

The incident comes weeks after the UK's terrorism alert level was downgraded.

Officials declared in early November the rating has been downgraded from Severe to Substantial.

It was the first time the threat of an attack has been set at Substantial since August 2014.

London Bridge was the focus of another terror attack in 2017.

Eleven people were killed when three attackers launched a knife rampage around the popular central London food and entertainment area.

Link.

That's twice that attacks have happened not long after the threat level was downgraded. Still, at least there's one fewer terrorist running around. Good riddance.

[Raw Shark]

I feel for the ice cream dude. Guy's just trying to make people happy and make a living, and that kind of shit jumps off. Black Friday brings out the savagery.

[wautd]

I don't understand why this radical islamist extremist with such a violent history was allowed to roam free in public anyway. As if a few years in prison would cure him from his ideology. These psychos will always be ticking time bombs

[Broomstick]

So you're in favor of life imprisonment without parole in all cases? Or perhaps just executing them? Holding them at Gitmo forever?

[ray245]

So you're in favor of life imprisonment without parole in all cases? Or perhaps just executing them? Holding them at Gitmo forever?

To be fair, the person in question was released early due to a technical change in law, shorter than the sentence he was initially given.

However, the issue of what do you do about people who are not successfully deradicalised is still going to be a massive issue societies have to face.

[Zaune]

It's also worth noting that the Independent has an article claiming that the man had actually tried to get into a support program for former extremists, but couldn't because the funding wasn't available. Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 27681.html

[ray245]

It's also worth noting that the Independent has an article claiming that the man had actually tried to get into a support program for former extremists, but couldn't because the funding wasn't available. Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 27681.html

True, but the problem is not simply an issue of ensuring funding. Even some of the best funded de-radicalisation programs cannot fully ensure the goals have been achieved.

[Zaune]

I dare say. But it would still help if we spent enough money to let them fucking try.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Somewhat less serious, a joke I just saw on Facebook:

Americans: "Only guns can keep us safe from terrorists!"
Brits: "Hand me that narwhal tusk and fire extinguisher."

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Apparently this guy was automatically released after serving half his sentence. I have to wonder if these "de-radicalization" programs actually work.

[madd0ct0r]

Apparently this guy was automatically released after serving half his sentence. I have to wonder if these "de-radicalization" programs actually work.

It's also worth noting that the Independent has an article claiming that the man had actually tried to get into a support program for former extremists, but couldn't because the funding wasn't available. Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 27681.html

best source (ie, Boris plagarised it),

8. Are dangerous offenders still automatically released at the halfway stage of their sentence?

A lot has changed since 2008. IPPs have now gone. The failure of the prison system to make available to prisoners the rehabilitative programmes they needed to take to secure their release, due to the horrendous overcrowding, was a genuine Kafkaesque nightmare, which the European Court of Human Rights in 2012 declared was unlawful. The coalition government responded by abolishing IPPs in 2012 (although not for prisoners still serving those sentences), and introducing new Extended Determinate Sentences. It is worth emphasising, to rebut nonsense published by Breitbart contributors today, that the ECtHR ruling on IPPs had nothing whatsoever to do with the Court of Appeal decision in Khan’s case. The Court of Appeal could have lawfully upheld the IPP if it wanted. It was not forced, either by government or by the ECtHR, to change the sentence.

These new Extended Determinate Sentences (EDS) worked like old EPPs, except that you would be automatically released at the two thirds stage of your sentence if your custodial term was under 10 years, and would go before the Parole Board at the two thirds stage if your custodial term was 10 years or more or you were convicted of certain specified offences.

9. So the coalition government were still automatically releasing dangerous offenders?

Yes. They were being kept in for slightly longer, but there was still no Parole Board oversight, except for the most dangerous of dangerous offenders. This changed in 2015, when all EDS prisoners were required to secure Parole Board approval for release at the two thirds stage. That remains the position today.

10. What is the government proposing to do?

To listen to the Prime Minister’s rhetoric, plenty. To read his manifesto, nothing. The changes that are proposed to release provisions relate specifically to offenders who do not receive EDS – the government wants to make it so that a tiny handful of defendants who are possibly a bit-sort-of-dangerous-but-maybe-not will serve two thirds of their sentence before automatic release. So they are not proposing to introduce any further Parole Board oversight of these prisoners – simply to keep them in a bit longer so that Johnson can boast about increasing sentences.

Much of what has been said today by government ministers is completely false.
...snip....

As this is likely to run and run today, forgive me if I repeat this: In 2019, no terrorist sentenced to a term of imprisonment is subject to automatic early release. The Prime Minister’s attempts to suggest that we have the same system as applied at the time of Usman Khan’s sentence, and that he is the man to fix it, are dishonest, cynical and exploitative.

[ray245]

I dare say. But it would still help if we spent enough money to let them fucking try.

I agree. I just want to caution people to avoid thinking of deradicalisation programs as a magical fix-it-all button if we give it enough funding.

[Raw Shark]

I dare say. But it would still help if we spent enough money to let them fucking try.

I agree. I just want to caution people to avoid thinking of deradicalisation programs as a magical fix-it-all button if we give it enough funding.

Well,how radical of a deradicalization program are we talking about here? I know a few guys who are comfortable with the medieval stuff...

[ray245]

Well,how radical of a deradicalization program are we talking about here? I know a few guys who are comfortable with the medieval stuff...

They usually involve counselling, and in case of religious extremist, they will get it from their religious leaders like priests or Imans that can help them understand how they can practice their beliefs in a manner that is non-extremist.