Counterterrorism probe into London incident
June 16, 2017
The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) or SO15 Specialist Operations branch within London's Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) are to investigate the incident on Friday morning, police said, adding: "We remain open minded as to whether terrorism was a motive."
"At 11:10hrs on Friday, 16 June, officers on routine duties near to the Carriage Gates entrance to the Palace of Westminster became aware of a man acting suspiciously," the police said in a statement on Friday afternoon. "The officers approached the man in order to speak with him. The man reached for a knife, and police discharged a Taser."
"The man - aged in his 30s - was arrested for possession of a knife. Nobody was injured," according to the police statement.
The suspect was taken to a police van by four, armed officers and is being held in a central London police station.
"At this time it is too early to understand the motivation so we have not declared this a terrorist incident," police said. "However given the location, the circumstances and recent tragic events, the MPS Counter Terrorism Command will be investigating this incident."
Less than three months ago, a lone attacker killed five people, including a police officer in a combined car and knife attack initially along Westminster Bridge and then at the same entrance to parliament, the Carriage Gates.
Further east along the river earlier this month, three armed attackers killed eight people and injured dozens more as they drove a van into crowds on London Bridge before jumping out and randomly stabbing people. Within eight minutes of the first emergency call, the attackers were shot dead by police.
jm/msh (AP, Reuters)