London attack: Theresa May has called country leaders whose citizens were injured in Westminster terror incident
The Prime Minister revealed that the citizens of 11 nations were hit by the attack
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May stayed up long into the night after Wednesday’s terror attack, calling the leaders of countries whose citizens were injured.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman confirmed she had already spoken to the US, German, French and Romanian leaders and still had a list to get through on Thursday.
Ms May confirmed in the House of Commons that citizens of 11 nations were injured, some who were children, others who were badly hurt, after the attacker careered down the pavement of Westminster Bridge and crashed his car into the perimeter fence of Parliament.
The incident occurred while Ms May was still in the House of Commons, but once she was whisked to safety she took control of the situation, chairing an emergency meeting of the COBR committee.
Officials confirmed on Thursday that she had also called US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also attended the Commons on Thursday to listen to Ms May’s statement, standing at the start of the session to show solidarity with MPs.
The Prime Minister told the Commons: “At approximately 2.40pm yesterday, a single attacker drove his vehicle at speed into innocent pedestrians who were crossing Westminster Bridge, killing two people and injuring around 40 more.
“In addition to twelve Britons admitted to hospital, we know that the victims include three French children, two Romanians, four South Koreans, one German, one Pole, one Irish, one Chinese, one Italian, one American and two Greeks.
“And we are in close contact with the governments of the countries of all those affected.”
She also confirmed that the Westminster attacker was born in Britain and had previously been investigated for suspected extremism by MI5.
The Prime Minister said the probe took place several years ago and that the unnamed suspect was not “part of the current intelligence picture”.
Overnight raids in Birmingham and London have resulted in the arrest of eight people and intensive investigations continue as the police presence is stepped up nationwide.
Aysha Frade was the second victim named following Wednesday’s attack, where PC Keith Palmer was stabbed to death outside the Houses of Parliament.
She and another member of the public, a man in his 50s, died of injuries sustained on Westminster Bridge as an attacker sped his car along the pavement.
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