Islamic State claims responsibility for London attack by British-born killer known to security agencies
Assailant was a ‘peripheral figure’, not part of the current intelligence picture and there was no prior intelligence of his intent or of the plot, PM May says
The Islamic State group on Thursday claimed the deadly assault at the British parliament, as Prime Minister Theresa May identified the attacker as a British-born man known to intelligence services.
“An act of terrorism tried to silence our democracy,” May told a packed House of Commons, which stood for a minute’s silence in remembrance of the victims of Wednesday’s strike on the symbol of Britain’s democracy.
“We are not afraid and our resolve will never waver in the face of terrorism,” May said.
The IS group said it was responsible, according to the Amaq propaganda agency linked to the jihadist organisation.
“The perpetrator of yesterday’s attack in front of the British parliament was a soldier of the Islamic State and the operation was carried out in response to calls to target coalition countries,” Amaq said citing a “security source.”
Defiant British lawmakers returned to “business as usual” in the surreal silence of an area of central London normally thronged with tourists.
