Seven people have been arrested and six addresses raided in London, Birmingham and elsewhere in connection with the Westminster terror attack, Mark Rowley, the Met’s senior anti-terror officer, has said.
Officers stormed a flat in Birmingham late on Wednesday night, with West Midlands Police directing inquiries about the operation to the Metropolitan Police.
He spoke as MPs were returning to Parliament in a show of defiance.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said the working assumption is that the Westminster attack is linked to Islamic terrorism.
Sir Michael said investigators were working around the clock.
He said: ‘They have been working right through the night, looking into his background, how he got hold of the vehicle, where the vehicle has been in the last day or two, and who may, or may not, have helped him.’
Asked if he was known to police, Sir Michael said: ‘I can’t confirm that, you will have to ask the police that.’
The Met Police initially refused to comment on the raid’s connection to the bloody assault on Westminster, but one witness told the Press Association: ‘The man from London lived here.’
Acting deputy commissioner of the Met Police Mark Rowley said: ‘It is our believe that the attacker acted alone during the Westminster attack yesterday and was inspired by international terrorism.
‘To be explicit – we have no specific information about further threats to the public at this time.’
The House of Commons and the House of Lords will sit at their normal times on Thursday, despite the parliamentary estate playing unwilling host to the attack the previous day.
Police had previously said that five people had died in the attack, however that number has been revised down to four.
A total of 29 people have been injured and seven of them are in a critical condition. Police said that a man woman in her 40s and a man in his 50s had both been killed.
The police officer who was killed has been named as PC Keith Palmer, a member of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Squad.
He was killed as he tried to stop the attacker at around 2.30pm yesterday.
The woman has been identified as Aysha Frade, a Spanish teacher on her way to pick her two children up from school.
The suspect, who was armed with two knives, injured around 40 people as he mowed down pedestrians with a car on Westminster Bridge before crashing at the railings in front of Parliament.
Bursting through the gate to the Palace of Westminster, he stabbed Pc Palmer before being shot dead by armed officers.
Theresa May praised the bravery of police officers on Wednesday night as it was announced Westminster would attempt to run as smoothly as normal.
In a statement from Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: ‘Any attempt to defeat those values through violence and terror is doomed to failure.
‘(Thursday) morning, Parliament will meet as normal. We will come together as normal.
‘And Londoners – and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great city – will get up and go about their day as normal.
‘They will board their trains, they will leave their hotels, they will walk these streets, they will live their lives.
‘And we will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart.’
Donald Trump was among world leaders to offer their support.
Shortly after 1.30am UK time, the US president tweeted: ‘Spoke to UK Prime Minister Theresa May today to offer condolences on the terrorist attack in London. She is strong and doing very well.’
Counter-terror detectives will continue searching for clues to how an armed attacker brought destruction to London.
Speaking outside Scotland Yard on Wednesday night, Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Rowley, the Met’s senior anti-terror officer, said police believe the suspect was ‘inspired by international terrorism’, and they believe they know who he was.
Paying tribute to Pc Palmer, who had served the police for 15 years, Mr Rowley said: ‘Today in Westminster we saw tragic events unfold, and our thoughts are with those who lost loved ones, those who were injured and all those affected by this attack.
‘One of those who died today was a police officer, Pc Keith Palmer, a member of our parliamentary and diplomatic protection command. Keith, aged 48, had 15 years’ service and was a husband and father.
‘He was someone who left for work today expecting to return home at the end of his shift, and he had every right to expect that would happen.’
The attack has delayed the Queen’s planned visit to the new headquarters of the Metropolitan Police.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the decision had been taken to postpone the engagement in light of the attack.
Stories of heroism and bravery emerged from the incident, which brought central London to a standstill and closed transport networks around the capital shortly after 2.30pm on Wednesday.
Paramedics fought to save Pc Palmer, and his attacker, on the floor of the cobbled courtyard in front of Parliament, with Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood among those who rushed to help.
Mr Ellwood, who lost his brother in the Bali bombing, could be seen pumping the officer’s chest then standing above him, his hands and face smeared with blood.
Armed officers, some in plain clothes and wearing balaclavas, swarmed around the yard feet from where MPs had earlier attended Prime Minister’s Questions.
The knifeman’s attack left a trail of destruction as paramedics tended to victims on the bridge and at the gate.
One woman hit by the attacker’s car before he reached Parliament was confirmed dead by a doctor at St Thomas’ Hospital. Others on the bridge suffered ‘catastrophic injuries’.
Another woman who fell into the Thames was rescued and given urgent medical treatment on a nearby pier.
A party of French schoolchildren were among those targeted on the bridge, while four students from Edge Hill University in Ormskirk were also hurt – two described as ‘walking wounded’, and another couple said to have minor injuries.
Romanian and South Korean tourists were also caught up in the tragedy.
Mark Rowley's statement in full
Good morning – I am here to update you on our ongoing counter terrorism operation following the horrific attack in Westminster.
Greater clarity is now developing regarding the casualty figures as we have now collated information from the public and five hospitals – the latest figures I have are that there are currently four dead and 29 people were treated in hospital.
We are still collating numbers of walking wounded and of those in hospital sadly 7 of them are in a critical condition.
Tragically the deaths included PC Keith Palmer who was protecting Parliament, and two members of the public – a woman aged in her mid 40’s and a man aged in his mid 50’s.
The fourth man of course was the terrorist who was shot dead by armed police at the scene.
Hundreds of detectives have been working through the night and during that time I can confirm we have searched six addresses – and made seven arrests. The inquiries in Birmingham, London and other parts of the country continue.
It is still our belief – which continues to be born out by our investigation – that this attacker acted alone yesterday and was inspired by international terrorism.
To be explicit – at this stage, we have no specific information about further threats to the public.
Clearly our investigation is ongoing – developing all the time – and is focused on his motivation, his preparation and associates.
I do recognise that the media are making progress in identifying the attacker – I would continue to ask that his name is not published whilst we are at such a sensitive stage in our investigation – and as I state still conducting arrests and searches.
The large and complicated crime scene remains in place and our work there continues – I would like to thank everyone for their support and patience as we finish this work.
As people are out and about on the streets of the Capital this morning they will see more police officers on duty – armed and unarmed – and a mix of British Transport Police and the City of London.
We have cancelled some leave and increased some duty hours and are working to make sure that we can out in force to reassure the public.
We must not allow terrorists to create discord, distrust and fear.
The police stand with all communities – later today a meeting of faith leaders will be held here at New Scotland Yard.
Whilst our work to investigate and understand what happened yesterday continues with vigour – we must also reflect.
I want to thank the public for their support and all their good wishes – I know it is appreciated by all those men and women who are out there today protecting us.
Finally, I would also like to ask the public for their continued help and continued vigilance and if you see anything that causes you concern or raises your suspicions do not hesitate to call us – 0800 789 321 – or in an emergency 999.
Thank you.
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