London Bridge attack: First victim named as pressure mounts on Johnson for investigation into release of convict taught by Anjem Choudary
Security minister confirms police are not looking for more suspects in investigation
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Labour and the Conservatives sought to blame each other for the release of the convicted terrorist who killed two people in London Bridge on Friday.
Prime minister Boris Johnson and home secretary Priti Patel both claimed that Jeremy Corbyn’s party was responsible for the law that meant 28-year-old Usman Khan was freed on licence half way through his 16-year sentence.
Meanwhile former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper questioned what action the government took to assess the risks posed by the attacker, and both Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, pointed to cuts made to public services over the last decade.
The attacker, who was convicted of terrorism offences in 2012 and released last December, was fatally shot by police at about 2pm on Friday.
One of the victims has been named as 25-year-old Jack Merritt, who worked as a course coordinator for the prisoners’ rehabilitation programme holding the event at Fishmongers’ Hall.
His father David described him as “an exceptional young man” and called for greater funding of probation services monitoring released prisoners.
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One of the bystanders who helped pin down the London Bridge attacker is a convicted murderer who was out on day release, The Independent’s Chiara Giordano reports.
You can read more on that story below:
All of the bystanders who helped tackle Usman Khan - excluding the man who has been reported as a Polish chef - were ex-offenders, according to a PA source.
PA reports:
“London Bridge attacker Usman Khan was tackled by ex-offenders who had been invited to a conference on rehabilitation after he started 'lashing out', it has emerged.
“Khan had previously participated in Cambridge University's Learning Together prisoner rehabilitation programme but had showed 'no cause for concern,' a source with knowledge of the programme told PA.
“According to the source, all those involved in tackling Khan, with the exception of the man reported to be a Polish chef, were ex-offenders.
“They, along with Khan, had been invited to attend the conference at Fishmongers' Hall after having previously participated in the programme.
“It is understood that Khan started ‘lashing out’ in a downstairs room of the hall but was grabbed by the conference-goers and bundled out of the front door as he tried to go upstairs.”
The BBC is facing criticism for its U-turn on allowing Mr Johnson to appear on the Andrew Marr Show tomorrow.
The Independent’s Vincent Wood has the details on the story as it develops…
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has said police will remain at the scene of the attack “for some time to come” while investigations continue.
She added that it is still their understanding that the attacker was “acting alone”.
The Independent’s Vincent Wood has an in-depth profile on Usman Khan - the terrorist who stabbed two people to death on London Bridge yesterday.
You can read about how Khan was jailed and later released below:
Yvette Cooper, who was Labour’s shadow home secretary in 2012, has strongly criticised the government and called for questions about Usman Khan's release from prison to be answered.
Ms Cooper has asked how many other convicted terrorists have been released in similar circumstances to Khan.
She added that the government was “warned about the risks of ending IPPs [indeterminate sentences for public protection]” and warned about the “lack of resources for monitoring and rehabilitation”
Nazir Afzal, the former chief prosecutor, has said he repeatedly warned the government about the risk posed by convicted terrorists being released from prison.
In a tweet, Mr Afzal said he personally told Boris Johnson about the problem but was ignored because acting on the issue would cost money.
He also told the Guardian:
“The problem of those convicted for terrorist-related offences being released from prison whilst ostensibly rehabilitated but still radicalised was one that many of us raised in meetings with this government over the past few years...
“We are in danger from several men who have served their sentence but remain fixated on doing us harm. We may have missed the time for action, I sincerely hope not.”
Dame Cressida Dick has said she is “very proud to be a Londoner” after the quick response on Friday to the London Bridge attack.
“It has been an extraordinary response first of all by the public, secondly by police, thirdly by all the other services,” the Met Police commissioner told reporters.
She added:
“It's great to see so many people out here [today], I'm not surprised, it's London. We don't let these things stop us from going about our business
“Borough Market is absolutely full of people and they're getting on with their normal lives.”
BREAKING: One of the victims of the London Bridge terror attack has been named as Jack Merritt in media reports.
He was a course coordinator for the Learning Together programme, which was hosting a conference at Fishmongers’ Hall attended by Usman Khan.
Laura Fitzpatrick, a journalist for BBC Panorama, has posted a tribute to Jack Merritt.
Ms Fitzpatrick said she knew Mr Merritt at university and described him as a “lovely guy”.
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