British Parliament Terrorist Suspect Identified, Government Source Says

Janita Kan
By Janita Kan
August 15, 2018World News
share

The suspect who collided into pedestrians and cyclists outside Britain’s parliament on Aug. 14 in a suspected terror attack has been identified, according to government sources.

Salih Khater, a 29-year-old British citizen, was arrested on suspicion of preparing for a terrorist act after he rammed his car into barriers in central London injuring three people, reported the BBC. He has not been officially identified by authorities.

Khater, who is originally from Sudan, is currently being held at a south London police station for questioning.

Video footage showed the privately owned silver Ford Fiesta, with the registration number FL10 CWZ, making an illegal turn before veering across the road and into a security lane leading to Parliament before smashing into a protective barrier as two police officers jumped to safety. Before the incident, the car had circled the streets surrounding the heart of government for more than 90 minutes, police said.

Metropolitan police searched three addresses, two in Birmingham and one in Nottingham, as part of an investigation into the suspected attack, according to a statement.

“Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method, and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident,” London Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu told reporters shortly after the crash.

At the time of the arrest, there was nobody else in the vehicle and no weapons have been recovered at this stage, the statement said. No other arrests have been made in connection with this investigation.

Two people had to be taken to hospital after the incident, but were later discharged. A third person was treated on the scene.

Police are still investigating the motive of the alleged attack.

Police said the incident appeared to be the second terrorist attack at the building in just under 18 months, after Khalid Masood, 52, killed four people on nearby Westminster Bridge in March 2017. He stabbed an unarmed police officer to death before he was shot dead by authorities.

Reuters contributed to this report

ntd newsletter icon
Sign up for NTD Daily
What you need to know, summarized in one email.
Stay informed with accurate news you can trust.
By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Comments