Van attack ‘clearly aimed at Muslims’ but

A TERROR attack on a group of worshippers near a mosque was “quite clearly an attack on Muslims”, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has said.

One man died after pedestrians were targeted by a man driving a van near Finsbury Park Mosque in north London early on Monday.

Witnesses described hearing the man, who was detained by members of the public at the scene, shout: “I’m going to kill Muslims.”

The suspect, described as a large white man, was arrested by police on suspicion of attempted murder.

Ms Dick said: “This was quite clearly an attack on Muslims who looked like they were probably Muslims and they were coming from a prayer meeting. We treat this as a terrorist attack.

“Sadly we have suffered a number of attacks and very sad events over the last few weeks,” she added.

She spoke as Security Minister Ben Wallace confirmed the man was not known to the security services.

He told BBC Radio 4’s World At One: “What I can say on this case is this individual, so far as we know at the moment, was not Police officers man a cordon in Finsbury Park, north London, where one man died known to us, but we are aware of a rise in the far right.”

The attacker, who is believed to have acted alone, struck as the area was busy with worshippers attending Ramadan night prayers at the mosque.

Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the incident as “every bit as sickening” as the recent atrocities in London and Manchester.

After meeting faith leaders at Finsbury Park Mosque on Monday afternoon, she said: “The terrible terrorist attack which took place last night was an evil borne out of hatred and it has devastated a community.

“I am pleased to have been here today to see the strength of that community coming together, all faiths united in one desire to see extremism and hatred of all sorts driven out of our society.

“There is no place for this hatred in our country today and we need to work together as one society, one community, to drive it out, this evil which is affecting so many families.”

Police and community leaders have praised those who restrained the van driver and stopped others