2017 Finsbury Park attack

2017 Finsbury Park attack
2017 Finsbury Park attack is located in London Borough of Islington 2017 Finsbury Park attack (London Borough of Islington) 2017 Finsbury Park attack (Greater London) 2017 Finsbury Park attack (the United Kingdom)
Location	Finsbury Park, London, England
Coordinates
Date	19 June 2017 00:15 (BST)
Target	Muslims
Attack type	Vehicle-ramming attack
Weapons	Van
Deaths	Possibly 1
Injured	11
Motive	Under investigation

On 19 June 2017, a van was driven into pedestrians in Finsbury Park, London, injuring at least ten people. This occurred near the Muslim Welfare House, 100 yards (90 m) from Finsbury Park Mosque. A group of Muslims had earlier performed tarawih, nightly prayers held during Ramadan, when they came across a collapsed man at a bus stop. While rendering first aid they were rammed, and ten were injured. The collapsed man died at the scene.

The incident is being investigated by counter-terrorism police. One person has been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism including murder and attempted murder. The motive is still under investigation.

Background

The suspected terror attack followed five foiled Islamic terrorism plots in the UK in just over three months, plus four attacks that were carried out: a vehicular and stabbing attack in Westminster on 22 March 2017, a suicide bombing at a concert in Manchester on 22 May, and another ramming and stabbings on London Bridge and in Borough Market on 3 June.

Following the Islamist attacks, there was an increase in reports of alleged Islamophobic incidents. Mosques had been previously targeted as a response to Islamist attacks.

The Finsbury Park Mosque has attracted both positive and negative media attention. The radical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who was convicted for terrorism related charges in both the UK and the United States, served as its Imam from 1997 to 2003.

The mosque was shut down in 2003. In 2005, it re-opened under a new management team. Since then, the mosque has actively promoted better interfaith community relations. In December 2015, the mosque was subjected to an attempted arson attack when a man holding a can of petrol attempted to ignite the can and threw it into the building.

Events

On 19 June 2017, at approximately 00:15 BST (UTC+1), a hired van rammed several pedestrians at the junction of Whadcoat Street and Seven Sisters Road, 100 yards (90 m) from Finsbury Park Mosque in London.

Witnesses first reported several people seen lying on the ground after a vehicle drove onto the pavement, and a person was taken into custody shortly after the incident.

According to witnesses, many of the injured were wearing Muslim attire after leaving the mosque at the time of the incident after tarawih prayers, which are performed by Sunni Muslims during the month of Ramadan. Witnesses said the driver said "I want to kill all Muslims", and that the attack was "for London Bridge".

Worshippers from the mosque and onlookers restrained the attacker. One witness said the driver was punched and beaten until the imam of the mosque intervened and halted the beating, asking instead for the driver to be handed over to police, while another witness said that some of those gathered wanted to beat him but were restrained by others.

Officers were called at 00:20 BST, the Metropolitan Police said, describing it as a major incident. London Ambulance Service said it had sent a number of resources. According to the London Ambulance Service, eight people were taken to area hospitals, and two were treated and released at the scene.

Aftermath

The British Red Cross provided support to the victims of the attack. The East London Mosque received a hoax bomb threat later the same day of the attack.

Police have arrested the son of the owner of the van hire company that hired out the van, who allegedly posted on Facebook: "It’s my dads company I don’t get involved it’s a shame they don’t hire out a steam rollers or tanks could have done a tidy job then [sic]".

Investigation

The Metropolitan Police have said a 47-year-old male, believed to be the van driver, was detained by members of the public and arrested in connection to the incident. Witnesses reported seeing three people leave the van involved in the incident, but police later announced that they have only one suspect. The incident is being investigated by counter-terrorism police.

A police spokesperson said the driver will be subject to a mental health evaluation. The van involved in the incident was reported to have been hired in Pontyclun, Wales. The motive is still under investigation.

Prime Minister Theresa May revealed in a statement that police declared the attack a terrorist incident within eight minutes. Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, confirmed that the attack was being treated as terrorism. The suspect was initially charged with attempted murder, but was later charged for "the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism" including murder and attempted murder.

Investigators revealed on 21 June, that evidence indicates the attack was premeditated and the suspect was self-radicalised.

Suspect

The suspect was later identified by police as Darren Osborne, a 47-year-old father of four from Cardiff, who grew up in Weston-super-Mare. UK Security Minister Ben Wallace said Osborne was not known to the security services prior to the attack. Osborne's neighbours in Pentwyn, where Osborne had lived for several years, described him as aggressive and strange, but said he was not a racist. Neighbours described him as a family man, who was heard singing with his children in the kitchen just hours before the attack, while others believed he and his partner had separated, living in a tent in woodland in recent months, and he was often seen shouting at her in the street.

The suspect allegedly turned against Muslims in the wake of the June 2017 London Bridge attack. He allegedly hired a van in the vicinity of Cardiff, several days before the attack and slept in it during the night. On the eve of the attack he drove to London, four hours driving distance, prior to carrying out the attack. Witnesses from a local Cardiff pub said the suspect had announced the day before the attack his intention to attack the Al-Quds day march which was held earlier on the day of the attack.

The sister of the suspect has said that the suspect had attempted to commit suicide a few weeks prior to the attack, and that he had asked after the attempt to be committed in a psychiatric hospital, but was declined by authorities. She further said he was receiving anti-depressant medication.

Reactions

Main article: Reaction to the 2017 Finsbury Park attack

Community

Flowers and messages were left close to the scene of the attack and a candlelight vigil was held at 8 pm on 19 June. Mohammed Kozbar, the Chairman of the Finsbury Park Mosque, expressed condolences and condemnation of the attack via Twitter. The attack has also been condemned by Christian, Sikh, and Jewish leaders.

Politicians and officials

The incident was described by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, as a terrorist attack.

During a visit to the Finsbury Park mosque, Prime Minister Theresa May praised London's multicultural community and promised more security for places of worship and an increase in the efforts against extremism, including Islamophobia.

The Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said South Wales Police were working with officers from London on the investigation.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose constituency includes Finsbury Park, said he was shocked and that his thoughts and prayers were with those and the community affected by the event.

May and Corbyn both visited the Finsbury Park mosque and community leaders on 19 June.

Prince Charles visited Finsbury Park Mosque on 21 June, where he met community leaders and conveyed a message from Queen Elizabeth II. He relayed that she was shocked by the attack, pointing out especially that the victims had been attending Ramadan prayers.

Organisations

Some organizations and local politicians claim the incident represented rising Islamophobia in the United Kingdom.

Pegida UK leader Tommy Robinson said via Twitter: "The mosque where the attack happened tonight has a long history of creating terrorists & radical jihadists & promoting hate & segregation. I've said many times if government or police don't sort these centres of hate they will create monsters as seen tonight." Robinson's statements were criticized on social media as inciting hatred.

Islamic State supporters have utilized the attack to call for further violent attacks.

See also

• List of terrorist incidents in London
• Pavlo Lapshyn – Ukrainian white supremacist who targeted mosques in England during Ramadan in 2013