Kay Wilson said yesterday that despite the attacks perpetrated by Jihadists on British and Israeli citizens WE are not driving vehicles into groups of Muslims, or attacking them with knives. However just that happened last night, outside the Finsbury Park mosque. That’s the one that had to be closed because of its terrorist connections and activity centred around Abu Hamza and his cohorts. It reopened later ‘under new management’.
Reports vary and a friend who lives nearby says that the situation in the street is confusing, and to treat some of the press reports with care.
However the consistent information is that at about 00.30 this morning, as a large crowd of worshippers was leaving the mosque after Ramadan night prayers, a white van was driven by a white man through the crowd causing injuries. Eight people are in hospitals across north London. One death has been reported; others say it was not connected to the van incident. He had already collapsed prior to the van mounting the pavement.
Neil Basu, counter-terrorism policing senior national co-ordinator, said: “The attack unfolded whilst a man was already receiving first aid from public at scene and sadly that man has died. It is too early to say if his death was as a result of this attack.”
The authorities have declared the attack a terrorist attack.
The Muslim Council of Britain has condemed the attack
“Over the past weeks and months, Muslims have endured many incidents of Islamophobia, and this is the most violent manifestation to date…
“Given we are approaching the end of the month of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid with many Muslims going to local mosques, we expect the authorities to increase security outside mosques as a matter of urgency.’…
Mohammed Shafiq, Chief Executive of the Ramadhan Foundation said: ‘I utterly condemn the senseless and evil van attack against Muslim worshippers outside the Finsbury Park Mosque in London.
‘According to eye witnesses this was a deliberate attack against Innocent Muslims going about their life…
‘Rampant Islamaphobia has been on the rise for a number of years and those on the far right have perpetuated hatred against Muslims. They should be called out for their hatred.
‘The days ahead will be difficult, but with unity and tolerance we will prevail. We will not allow these far right extremists to divide our diverse communities. ‘Enough is enough,..
The van was hired from a hire firm in Wales.
Despite eye-witness reports that the man jumped from the van with a knife, and/or that other white men with knives jumped from the back and later escaped the police confirm that no one has stab injuries.
Other eye witnesses say the man expressed the intention to ‘kill all Muslims’ and announced that he had ‘done his bit’. He is under arrest. I’ll wait to see what the police statement is after he has been questioned, and what he says in court. But if his actions were deliberate, they are therefore criminal.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged people to ‘remain calm and vigilant’ in the wake of the attack. He said: ‘We don’t yet know the full details, but this was clearly a deliberate attack on innocent Londoners, many of whom were finishing prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.
Readers will remember his comments last year that terrorist attacks are part and parcel of living in a big city.
We must pray for the recovery of the injured, and the relatives of the man who died, whether or not it was a result of the attack. Two wrongs do not make a right, and tit for tat didn’t go down well in the playground and isn’t right in adult life either. But neither should political capital be made of it to bolster claims and allegations of islamophobia. The Muslim community should learn from Manchester and set a vigil of candles and teddy bears.
Having said that ISIS have already called for revenge.
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