Westminster suspect identified as UK national of Sudanese origin

ENGLAND - A 29-year-old man arrested after he crashed a car into security barriers outside the UK Houses of Parliament in what’s being treated as a terrorist incident was identified by police yesterday as a UK national originally from Sudan.

The man has not yet been named by London’s Metropolitan Police but the force said in a statement that it was ‘satisfied’ it now knew his identity.

Three people were injured when the suspect’s car careened into cyclists and pedestrians during the Tuesday morning rush hour outside one of London’s most iconic locations. He was arrested at the scene and is currently being detained at a south London police station.

Little else is yet known about the suspect, who has now been arrested for attempted murder, the police statement said. He was initially arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism. Detectives continue to search an address in Birmingham, police said. They have concluded searches at two other addresses in Birmingham and one in Nottingham. Both cities are in the Midlands, in central England.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said Tuesday that the suspect was ‘not cooperating’ with police.

He was not believed to have been known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police, Basu said.

No other arrests have been made.

Roger Godsiff, a member of Parliament who represents Birmingham Hall Green, said on Twitter the suspect was believed to have been from his constituency.

“I have told the police and security services that they have my total support in doing whatever is necessary to protect the public in London and Birmingham,” he said.

The vehicle used in the attack left Birmingham late Monday night and arrived in London just after midnight Tuesday, authorities said. The car was in the Tottenham Court Road area of the capital for several hours before being driven round the Whitehall and Westminster areas from about 6 a.m. to the time of the attack, just after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

(CNN)