:00:00. > :00:00.you can, lots more coverage coming from some of the people that have
:00:00. > :00:14.seen it and some analysis to. You have been watching BBC News.
:00:15. > :00:20.Terrorism in the heart of Westminster - a vehicle and knife
:00:21. > :00:23.attack has left four people, including a police officer, dead.
:00:24. > :00:24.Eyewitnesses say a car "mowed down" pedestrians
:00:25. > :00:26.on Westminster Bridge before crashing into railings
:00:27. > :00:29.At least two people who were hit have died,
:00:30. > :00:34.On the other side of the road there was a body and when I looked
:00:35. > :00:39.When I looked over the side of the bridge, there appeared to be
:00:40. > :00:45.It's believed a short time after, the attacker stabbed a police
:00:46. > :00:47.officer outside Parliament - who has since died
:00:48. > :00:52.The attacker was shot an apprehended by police.
:00:53. > :00:57.He is also known to be one of the number who have died.
:00:58. > :01:00.The Prime Minister was in Parliament but is now back in Downing Street -
:01:01. > :01:03.she will chair an emergency Cobra meeting tonight -
:01:04. > :01:15.We now have an ongoing operation, and whilst we currently believe
:01:16. > :01:20.there was only one attacker, I'm sure the public will understand us
:01:21. > :01:22.taking every precaution in locking down and searching the area as
:01:23. > :01:29.thoroughly and exhaustively as possible. I'm reporting live from
:01:30. > :01:34.the edge of the police cord and in Westminster where there is still
:01:35. > :01:36.intense police activity tonight. Police are warning the public to
:01:37. > :01:51.remain vigilant this morning. Good evening and
:01:52. > :01:57.welcome to BBC News. Westminster is in a state
:01:58. > :01:58.of emergency tonight, after what the Metropolitan Police
:01:59. > :02:01.described as a terror incident. Four people are known to have died
:02:02. > :02:04.including an attacker. A police officer was killed
:02:05. > :02:10.inside the parliamentary grounds. An attacker is reported to have run
:02:11. > :02:14.down several pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before
:02:15. > :02:16.crashing into railings. Others suffered "catastrophic"
:02:17. > :02:24.injuries, according The attacker is then reported
:02:25. > :02:28.to have run through the gates of the Palace of Westminster
:02:29. > :02:30.and stabbed the police officer. The officer has died
:02:31. > :02:31.from his injuries. Eyewitnesses said the attacker
:02:32. > :02:34.was shot by police as he approached During the attack, MPs in the House
:02:35. > :02:42.of Commons were told to lie on the floor for their own safety.
:02:43. > :02:45.A spokesman for ten Downing Street has released a statement saying:
:02:46. > :02:48.The thoughts of the PM and the Government are with those
:02:49. > :02:51.killed and injured in this appalling The PM is being kept updated
:02:52. > :03:11.and will shortly chair Cobra. Ben Brown is in Westminster this
:03:12. > :03:15.evening. We are just at the edge of the police cordon that has been
:03:16. > :03:20.established ever since this incident happened, a lot of police activity
:03:21. > :03:24.still. Police cars are racing around the streets nearby, we can hear
:03:25. > :03:29.police helicopters in the sky and ambulances are moving around quickly
:03:30. > :03:32.as well. The police are saying they are putting extra officers on the
:03:33. > :03:37.street of the capital this evening, they are warning the public to
:03:38. > :03:40.remain vigilant. They are asking the public for any information about
:03:41. > :03:46.this incident, whether they saw it, whether they took pictures, they
:03:47. > :03:51.want that information. The latest we have is four people have died,
:03:52. > :03:57.including the attacker and as many as 20 people have been injured. Many
:03:58. > :04:00.of them being treated at St Thomas' Hospital, including three French
:04:01. > :04:07.schoolchildren. In terms of what happened at Westminster, MPs and
:04:08. > :04:10.peers and other workers were on lockdown for a number of hours.
:04:11. > :04:15.They've been moved from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey
:04:16. > :04:20.to safety, and some office workers we've just been talking to have now
:04:21. > :04:23.been allowed out of the cordoned area. They've been allowed to go
:04:24. > :04:26.home from this area of Westminster that has been on lockdown.
:04:27. > :04:29.Our first report tonight is from our political editor,
:04:30. > :04:30.Laura Kuenssberg who has been inside Parliament.
:04:31. > :04:51.The shouts around the hearts of Westminster.
:04:52. > :04:59.Members of the public, politicians, the hundreds of staff
:05:00. > :05:03.for whom this is work, in politics, but some,
:05:04. > :05:17.There are at least a couple of hundred people
:05:18. > :05:22.This is the heart of where Westminster does its business
:05:23. > :05:26.and we're part of a lockdown after what happened outside.
:05:27. > :05:29.A police officer has told me one man was shot at the front,
:05:30. > :05:36.and people heard three of gunshots on their way to vote.
:05:37. > :05:38.This is a place that is tightly guarded at all times,
:05:39. > :05:40.but a sense of shock, finally it appears something
:05:41. > :05:46.so serious has happened right here in the heart of Westminster.
:05:47. > :05:58.I am now going to suspend the sitting of the House.
:05:59. > :06:00.This house is now suspended, but please wait here.
:06:01. > :06:02.Then in a chamber that sat through all sorts
:06:03. > :06:09.There has been a serious incident within the estate.
:06:10. > :06:13.It seems that a police officer has been stabbed.
:06:14. > :06:22.That the alleged assailant was shot by armed police.
:06:23. > :06:24.An air ambulance is currently attending the scene
:06:25. > :06:32.There are also reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity
:06:33. > :06:38.of the Palace of Westminster, but I hope colleagues
:06:39. > :06:42.on all sides will appreciate, that it will be wrong of me
:06:43. > :06:46.here to go into further details until we have confirmation
:06:47. > :06:48.from the police and from the House security authorities
:06:49. > :06:56.As the seriousness of the attack began to spread, MPs
:06:57. > :07:01.told me they heard three or four gunshots on their way to vote.
:07:02. > :07:04.Others saw with their eyes, from their office windows.
:07:05. > :07:11.We saw a thickset man in black clothes come through the gates
:07:12. > :07:17.New Palace Yard is just below Big Ben.
:07:18. > :07:20.This man had something in his hand, it looked like a stick.
:07:21. > :07:23.He was challenged by a couple of policemen in yellow jackets.
:07:24. > :07:32.We could see the man in black moving his arm in a way that
:07:33. > :07:34.suggested he was either stabbing or striking the yellow
:07:35. > :07:45.One of the policemen ran to get help, which was very,
:07:46. > :07:53.As this attacker was running towards the entrance used by MPs,
:07:54. > :07:58.two plainclothes guys with guns shouted at him, uttered
:07:59. > :08:05.He ignored it and they shot two or three times and he fell.
:08:06. > :08:21.I heard what I thought was just a collision.
:08:22. > :08:24.And then I looked out the window of the taxi and I saw someone down,
:08:25. > :08:29.Then I saw a second person down and I started filming and I saw
:08:30. > :08:32.three more people down, one of them bleeding profusely.
:08:33. > :08:36.So what I saw was an incident involving at least five
:08:37. > :08:48.I was just walking across the bridge when suddenly a bus stopped,
:08:49. > :08:51.people were screaming and came off the bus and they seemed very upset.
:08:52. > :08:55.Then I saw what appeared to be a trainer on the side of the road.
:08:56. > :08:59.On the other side of the road there was a body and when I looked
:09:00. > :09:03.On the other side of the bridge, there appeared to be a body
:09:04. > :09:08.A car and driver intent on taking the lives of those who came to see.
:09:09. > :09:11.What is normally a safe circle, the most tightly guarded part
:09:12. > :09:30.The Counter Terrorism Command are carrying out a full-scale
:09:31. > :09:33.investigation into the events today. The attack started when a car was
:09:34. > :09:37.driven over Westminster Bridge, hitting and injuring a number of
:09:38. > :09:41.members of the public, also including three police officers on
:09:42. > :09:45.their way back from a commendation ceremony. The car crashed near to
:09:46. > :09:49.Parliament and at least one man, armed with a knife, continued the
:09:50. > :09:54.attack and tried to enter Parliament. Sadly I can confirm that
:09:55. > :09:58.now four people have died. That includes the police officer who was
:09:59. > :10:00.protecting Parliament, and one man we believe to be an attacker who was
:10:01. > :10:06.shot by a police firearms officer. Police and the government
:10:07. > :10:10.are considering there's attack For an attack to stop democracy, not
:10:11. > :10:23.just politicians who came to work, but hundreds of people to visit
:10:24. > :10:26.and be part of this place. I have been here with a group
:10:27. > :10:30.of students and we are in a building which is close to the Riverside
:10:31. > :10:38.and quite near where Little did they know what kind of
:10:39. > :10:39.situation would unfold. It's still very hard to believe what's happened
:10:40. > :10:43.here today. An attack, that in theory,
:10:44. > :10:45.many expected to come to London again one day,
:10:46. > :10:47.but the truth of an event like this in practice,
:10:48. > :10:50.a shock in our parliament, Whatever the motive, an effort
:10:51. > :11:05.to stop our democracy in its tracks. Laura Kuenssberg reporting. The
:11:06. > :11:09.Prime Minister was in the Palace of Westminster when it happened and was
:11:10. > :11:14.whisked away, driven straight to Downing Street. We gather this
:11:15. > :11:18.evening she is chairing a meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency
:11:19. > :11:22.committee. There is expected to be the Home Secretary Amber Rudd there.
:11:23. > :11:30.We do not yet know the full impact of this terrible incident. I know
:11:31. > :11:35.that the whole country will be thinking and praying for those who
:11:36. > :11:41.are affected, as I am. I want to thank the emergency services for the
:11:42. > :11:45.quick response, and pay tribute to their bravery, their courage and
:11:46. > :11:50.their professionalism. I've been briefed by the Met police and by the
:11:51. > :11:56.security services, and the security minister has also been updated. This
:11:57. > :12:00.is an ongoing incident, and the government will continue to be
:12:01. > :12:07.updated. The Prime Minister will chair Cobra today. The government's
:12:08. > :12:14.top priority is the security of its people. And I urge everyone to
:12:15. > :12:16.remain calm, but to be vigilant, and if they see anything they are
:12:17. > :12:23.concerned about, they should report it to the police. We have the best
:12:24. > :12:28.police, the best security services in the world, and we must make sure
:12:29. > :12:35.that we let them get on with doing their job. The British people will
:12:36. > :12:42.be united in working together to defeat those who would harm our
:12:43. > :12:47.shared values. By use of democracy, tolerance, and the rule of law. --
:12:48. > :12:50.values of democracy. Values symbolised by the houses of
:12:51. > :12:55.Parliament, values that will never be destroyed.
:12:56. > :13:02.That was the Home Secretary Amber Rudd speaking a while ago. We expect
:13:03. > :13:08.that Cobra meeting to get under way shortly. Let's speak now to
:13:09. > :13:12.Professor Michael Clarke, professor of defence studies and a security
:13:13. > :13:16.expert. What are the implications of this attack? The authorities have
:13:17. > :13:22.been expecting something like this for some time. This is only the
:13:23. > :13:26.third successful attack since 2001, the 911 attacks themselves. In a
:13:27. > :13:30.way, we've been waiting for this data arrive and it's arrived. It's
:13:31. > :13:35.pretty gruesome but it could have been a lot worse. If you drive a
:13:36. > :13:40.truck into a group of tourists, you could kill a great number, and
:13:41. > :13:42.trying something in the Palace of Westminster, this gentleman who
:13:43. > :13:47.allegedly committed the attack didn't have a gun, it was a knife.
:13:48. > :13:50.It could have been a lot worse. We are grateful for small mercies but
:13:51. > :13:55.this day has been a long time coming. It is the one-year
:13:56. > :13:59.anniversary of the Brussels attack, is that a coincidence or could that
:14:00. > :14:04.be part of the planning behind this attack? The authorities will be
:14:05. > :14:06.thinking about that. Generally speaking, terrorist attacks aren't
:14:07. > :14:12.usually times on anniversaries and I'd be surprised if this one was. It
:14:13. > :14:15.looks like a lone wolf attack at the moment but the government will be
:14:16. > :14:19.asking itself, could this be the beginning of a campaign? Is there
:14:20. > :14:22.any intelligence which indicates this is one of several in the
:14:23. > :14:29.pipeline, and who does this alleged attacker connect to? The police have
:14:30. > :14:35.been out and about in a big way, their first concern is, is it over
:14:36. > :14:38.now or is there another phase still in the pipeline? Secondly, if it's
:14:39. > :14:43.over, does it connect to something bigger? They know the Golden hour is
:14:44. > :14:48.the 24 hours after the attack when they can check on this person's
:14:49. > :14:51.connections. We've been told many times that MI5 and the
:14:52. > :14:56.counterterrorism police have foiled a number of plots in the last years.
:14:57. > :15:00.There was a figure of 13 given recently, but they always said they
:15:01. > :15:08.couldn't stop them all. Absolutely, it's the law of averages. 13 stopped
:15:09. > :15:13.since 2013. They say it's about four or five per year that they foil. Our
:15:14. > :15:19.own research records indicate there have been a good 70 plots since
:15:20. > :15:23.2001. Only three have been successful. But sooner or later in
:15:24. > :15:27.an open society, in a place where tourists go, somebody is going to
:15:28. > :15:32.get through. You don't have to be very expert to commit enormous
:15:33. > :15:36.destruction in open societies. If it's not a conspiracy, if it turns
:15:37. > :15:40.out to be a lone wolf, that is obviously so much harder to stop
:15:41. > :15:44.because there are maybe no communications whatsoever. That's
:15:45. > :15:49.true. On the face of it, let's be cautious, but on the face of it this
:15:50. > :15:55.looks like a lone wolf attack. But lone wolves never acted entirely
:15:56. > :16:00.alone. They always connect a somebody. There are very few cases
:16:01. > :16:05.of what the authorities call clean skins. People who have come out of
:16:06. > :16:08.nowhere. Usually they turn out to be inspired by somebody, usually they
:16:09. > :16:12.have a background in petty crime, they will be known to someone. The
:16:13. > :16:17.big question in this case is, was he on the radar somewhere, and I bet he
:16:18. > :16:21.was. Almost always they are on the radar somewhere, but the radar is
:16:22. > :16:26.pretty extensive. Always the problem we hear again and again, even if
:16:27. > :16:31.somebody is on the radar, they have to prioritise. 24 hour surveillance
:16:32. > :16:35.of anyone is labour intensive, you can't carry out surveillance on
:16:36. > :16:39.everyone who is on your radar. Absolutely right. Authorities are in
:16:40. > :16:44.a process of risk calculation. They say, who are the core people we
:16:45. > :16:53.worry about. To put a tag on somebody 24-7, takes something of
:16:54. > :16:57.the order of 20-30 officers. All the time they are looking at individuals
:16:58. > :17:00.and saying, this person is potentially dangerous, let's leave
:17:01. > :17:05.him or her in the background until we hear something else. Every now
:17:06. > :17:09.and then somebody pops up from Tier three or four of the risk register
:17:10. > :17:17.and they come into Tier one. There's no way you can register against that
:17:18. > :17:20.unless you want to go into a Stasi-style Secret Service. We don't
:17:21. > :17:27.do that, we aren't that sort of society. Thank you for your
:17:28. > :17:32.thoughts. Professor of defence studies and a security expert. The
:17:33. > :17:38.death toll is currently standing at four including the attacker. The
:17:39. > :17:42.police officer who was stabbed and then two other victims. One of them
:17:43. > :17:48.a woman. 20 people we gather were injured on the bridge as that
:17:49. > :17:52.vehicle ran into pedestrians on the bridge, including three young French
:17:53. > :17:56.schoolchildren, who were on a school trip to London. Many of the
:17:57. > :18:00.casualties being treated at St Thomas' Hospital just across the
:18:01. > :18:06.river from Westminster. Let's go to our correspondent Sophie Hutchinson.
:18:07. > :18:14.I'm at St Thomas' Hospital, which is just across the river from the
:18:15. > :18:19.Houses of Parliament where the attack took place. Just next to the
:18:20. > :18:24.bridge where the car allegedly mowed down a group of people. If you have
:18:25. > :18:29.a look around at the aftermath of some of the scene, you can see the
:18:30. > :18:34.aftermath of the emergency response with a dozen or more ambulances,
:18:35. > :18:39.just in the street here beside the hospital. That is the hospital in
:18:40. > :18:44.the background. Next to it, you can see this sightseeing bus which seems
:18:45. > :18:49.to have been abandoned, as the attack took place. Also just some
:18:50. > :18:56.ordinary cars, also abandoned as it happened. The London ambulance say
:18:57. > :19:00.they arrived at, well, they were called at 2:40pm, they treated at
:19:01. > :19:06.least ten people on Westminster Bridge. Westminster Bridge is just
:19:07. > :19:10.behind this bus. Staff at St Thomas' Hospital, as they heard of the
:19:11. > :19:15.attack, they rushed out to try to help people at the scene. It was a
:19:16. > :19:19.junior doctor here at St Thomas' Hospital, who was the first to say
:19:20. > :19:28.that somebody had died. A woman died at the scene on the bridge after
:19:29. > :19:32.being hit by that car. He also said there were catastrophic injuries for
:19:33. > :19:36.many of the other people. This hospital here isn't one of the main
:19:37. > :19:42.trauma centres, it has some trauma services, but we know that at least
:19:43. > :19:45.five people have been taken to be treated at King's College Hospital
:19:46. > :19:49.in south-east London which is one of the main trauma centres. We don't
:19:50. > :19:55.know any more about the treatment they are having, or their condition
:19:56. > :19:58.at the moment. We also know a woman has been treated for serious
:19:59. > :20:05.injuries after falling into the River Thames. That's all the update
:20:06. > :20:06.we have at the moment on what are at least 20 people who were injured in
:20:07. > :20:16.this attack. Major hospitals like St Thomas'
:20:17. > :20:22.Hospital Du train for an incident of this kind, a really serious terror
:20:23. > :20:28.incident. That's right, absolutely. They have a plan that they can carry
:20:29. > :20:35.out when a major incident like this takes place. That is some of what
:20:36. > :20:39.you are seeing here on the street, these ambulances just beside me, you
:20:40. > :20:46.get some measure of the scale of the response. At the time they didn't
:20:47. > :20:50.know how widespread this attack was, and what kind of response it
:20:51. > :20:57.merited. We also saw an air ambulance going backwards and
:20:58. > :21:01.forwards from Parliament Square. Presumably taking casualties to one
:21:02. > :21:05.of those major trauma centres, it is obviously extremely important they
:21:06. > :21:09.are taken there as as soon as possible, that's why these big
:21:10. > :21:14.centres are setup to be able to respond to an incident of that
:21:15. > :21:18.nature. Obviously the ground there were individual members of staff,
:21:19. > :21:21.doctors and nurses who came out with stretchers, going back and forth
:21:22. > :21:33.across Westminster Bridge, just trying to help out in the moment
:21:34. > :21:39.when the tactic place. Thank you. What's the latest from King's
:21:40. > :21:41.College Hospital? We heard a short while ago from King's College
:21:42. > :21:45.Hospital that they are treating eight people who were injured in the
:21:46. > :21:50.terrorist attack. They've told us six of those are men, two are women.
:21:51. > :21:55.Two of those are critically ill and the other six are stable. Tonight
:21:56. > :22:00.the hospital has declared a major incident and it is asking the public
:22:01. > :22:07.not to come to A unless it's absolutely crucial. As you've heard,
:22:08. > :22:11.there were four people killed and 20 injured. Most of those treated at St
:22:12. > :22:15.Thomas' Hospital, where some of the injuries have been described as
:22:16. > :22:17.catastrophic. Tonight all the medical teams involved have been
:22:18. > :22:26.praised for their hard work and dedication. Thank you. The
:22:27. > :22:31.Metropolitan Police are telling us they've opened a casualty bureau.
:22:32. > :22:36.Let me give you the details. It is now open and if you want to ring, if
:22:37. > :22:39.you are worried about family or friends involved in today's
:22:40. > :22:45.incident, you can call the Metropolitan Police casualty bureau
:22:46. > :23:11.on 0800 056 0944. Or 0207 1580 010. If you are worried
:23:12. > :23:19.about anyone call one of those numbers. The Metropolitan Police say
:23:20. > :23:24.please call that number and choose either the numbers listed above, or
:23:25. > :23:30.choose option two. Demand on that number will be high. Keep trying.
:23:31. > :23:37.Let's get the latest from my colleague Adam Fleming in
:23:38. > :23:44.Westminster. I'm outside Westminster Abbey just on the other side of
:23:45. > :23:54.Parliament Square from the houses of Parliament. Normally we see this
:23:55. > :23:58.square during national events. Today it is acting as a place of safety
:23:59. > :24:01.from people evacuated in the aftermath of the incident outside
:24:02. > :24:06.Parliament today. They've been inside for a couple of hours now,
:24:07. > :24:10.the dean of the cathedral saying he was happy to welcome people as a
:24:11. > :24:15.place of safety. He offered a prey as people arrived at the building.
:24:16. > :24:18.It's also been turned into a temporary police station. There has
:24:19. > :24:23.been a constant stream of police officers passing through the cordon
:24:24. > :24:26.going into the building. They are interviewing eyewitnesses to the
:24:27. > :24:30.attack that happened on Parliament today, gathering as much information
:24:31. > :24:34.and evidence as possible for the investigation into how this
:24:35. > :24:38.happened, who was behind it, and also presumably looking at the
:24:39. > :24:41.security indications for these buildings in this area. You can hear
:24:42. > :24:47.a police helicopter circling above us. There were loads of members the
:24:48. > :24:51.international media here, and several police vans parked inside
:24:52. > :24:55.the secure cordon that has been set up. One of the irony is being that
:24:56. > :25:00.this bit of road has been called broad Sanctuary, that is what it has
:25:01. > :25:07.been, a sanctuary for people caught up in this attack. Let's picked our
:25:08. > :25:12.political correspondent who has been at Westminster all day. We were just
:25:13. > :25:16.hearing about the MPs and peers, people evacuated to Westminster
:25:17. > :25:19.Abbey, such a dramatic day here at Westminster. I understand those
:25:20. > :25:23.people will be three arched they will be interviewed and people will
:25:24. > :25:30.be asked what they saw and where they were when it happened --
:25:31. > :25:34.triaged. The Prime Minister has returned back to Downing Street. We
:25:35. > :25:38.know she is back in the building. She was in the House of Commons when
:25:39. > :25:42.this happened, witnesses say they saw her bundled into a car before
:25:43. > :25:46.being taken to Downing Street. She is due to hold an emergency Cobra
:25:47. > :25:55.meeting tonight, we will be keeping an eye on what we get out of that
:25:56. > :25:58.meeting. Thank you. Our political correspondent and the Metropolitan
:25:59. > :26:03.Police saying four people are now dead and at least 20 injured. That's
:26:04. > :26:13.the latest from Westminster, live coverage throughout the evening.
:26:14. > :26:18.You're watching BBC News. We were hearing from the Metropolitan Police
:26:19. > :26:21.a lot of details about what happens. Daniel Sandford is our home affairs
:26:22. > :26:29.correspondent. Bring us up-to-date with your understanding of what the
:26:30. > :26:32.police are telling us tonight. The Metropolitan Police have declared
:26:33. > :26:37.this is a counterterrorism incident, there is a major investigation
:26:38. > :26:41.underway. I'm standing outside the new headquarters of the Metropolitan
:26:42. > :26:47.Police New Scotland Yard which hasn't even been officially opened.
:26:48. > :26:49.Today they had a major terrorist incident literally on their
:26:50. > :26:53.doorstep. Westminster Bridge is less than a hundred metres up the road
:26:54. > :26:58.from here. To Mike Westminster Bridge is a crime scene, where at
:26:59. > :27:02.least eight people were hit by this vehicle as it came over the bridge.
:27:03. > :27:06.Somebody else appears to have ended up in the river, as a result of that
:27:07. > :27:11.incident. The vehicle then turned around the corner just behind New
:27:12. > :27:16.Scotland Yard, smashed into the side of Parliament, and the assailant got
:27:17. > :27:21.out, attacked a police officer who has now unfortunately died, before
:27:22. > :27:26.the assailant himself was shot dead by police. Two other people, apart
:27:27. > :27:31.from that police officer and the assailant died, and we believe they
:27:32. > :27:35.died as the car mowed through tourists, schoolchildren, students
:27:36. > :27:39.and people on their way from work, and on their way to work from their
:27:40. > :27:47.lunch break on Westminster Bridge. Mark Rowley the Acting Deputy
:27:48. > :27:49.Commissioner who is also the national coordinator for
:27:50. > :27:52.counterterrorism briefed us outside Scotland Yard earlier this evening.
:27:53. > :27:58.It's possible he will give us an update later on this evening, and
:27:59. > :28:01.Scotland Yard have to face up to the fact that they've had to deal with
:28:02. > :28:05.today what they've been worrying about the several years now. Really
:28:06. > :28:13.since the attack on Lee Rigby, not only an attack on the seat of UK
:28:14. > :28:16.politics, but an attack on one of their own offices. And, as it turns
:28:17. > :28:24.out, right on their very doorstep as well. Thank you. We gather the Prime
:28:25. > :28:27.Minister is chairing a meeting of the government's emergency committee
:28:28. > :28:32.Cobra this evening, to get all the details from the police and the
:28:33. > :28:36.security services about what happened today, and to plan for the
:28:37. > :28:40.future. Police saying they are putting extra officers on the
:28:41. > :28:44.streets, not just around Westminster, but right around the
:28:45. > :28:47.capital. They are warning the public to be vigilant. In terms of
:28:48. > :29:02.Parliament, we gather MPs and peers will sit tomorrow as normal.
:29:03. > :29:05.The police response took moments and as the cordons close,
:29:06. > :29:07.those who watched these terrifying scenes unfold added to the accounts
:29:08. > :29:13.200 yards from Big Ben, overlooking Westminster Bridge,
:29:14. > :29:19.I arrived just after the incident, and I bumped into a group
:29:20. > :29:21.of extremely traumatised French teenagers who were here
:29:22. > :29:28.One of them described to me what had happened on the bridge,
:29:29. > :29:34.how he saw a car drive into what he thought were two
:29:35. > :29:39.Many of the people were too upset, trying to much
:29:40. > :29:47.I passed one person lying on the pavement covered in one
:29:48. > :29:49.of those metallic blankets you see after the marathon.
:29:50. > :29:54.And from inside Parliament itself, reporters heard the attacker's car
:29:55. > :29:57.hit the barriers outside, and saw what happened next.
:29:58. > :30:00.We heard a big bang outside at about 2:40pm and then
:30:01. > :30:08.And then 200 or so tourists or passers-by started running
:30:09. > :30:09.from Westminster Bridge across the pavement in front
:30:10. > :30:24.There was shooting outside Parliament and an ambulance landed.
:30:25. > :30:30.The police are marking the area out with cones.
:30:31. > :30:35.Emergency services converged in force to tend to the casualties.
:30:36. > :30:38.At this stage, no-one knew quite how many.
:30:39. > :30:43.Metres away, London life went on blissful ignorance.
:30:44. > :30:48.I then made my way into the tube station
:30:49. > :30:50.and I could see people walking around with their kids
:30:51. > :30:55.I went straight to the control room and said, you need to shut
:30:56. > :30:58.the tube station now, we have got a terror attack
:30:59. > :31:01.on the Palace of Westminster, you need to shut it now.
:31:02. > :31:04.He put a radio alert out to all staff and they put
:31:05. > :31:14.All the MPs were going to vote when the incident happened.
:31:15. > :31:19.It sounds like I was a little bit further ahead of her on the way to
:31:20. > :31:25.the old Palace when the gunshots rang out.
:31:26. > :31:28.It takes a moment to think that is not a car backfiring,
:31:29. > :31:32.Then there was lots of yelling, get down on the floor,
:31:33. > :31:34.get back into the building, which is what we all did.
:31:35. > :31:40.The numbers killed, the casualty list has grown.
:31:41. > :31:42.An attack aimed at the heart of British national life.
:31:43. > :31:45.The security services will study what happened here and seek to learn
:31:46. > :31:48.the lessons even as innocent victims are treated and the families
:31:49. > :32:04.We are hearing the lockdown of Parliament is over and the MPs who
:32:05. > :32:08.have been at Westminster Abbey, moved from Parliament to Westminster
:32:09. > :32:11.Abbey, now being put out of Westminster Abbey. Let's get the
:32:12. > :32:18.latest from our political correspondent. We've had about 1000
:32:19. > :32:22.people inside Westminster Abbey, not just MPs and peers, catering staff
:32:23. > :32:24.in their catering whites and other Parliamentary staff. They have been
:32:25. > :32:27.going through a triage system and have been interviewed by the police
:32:28. > :32:31.about what they saw, where they were and if they have any information
:32:32. > :32:35.that could be useful for the investigation. People were told that
:32:36. > :32:38.young people with children should go first, then the elderly and of
:32:39. > :32:40.course everyone else. We are just hearing that the first few MPs are
:32:41. > :32:57.starting to leave Westminster Abbey. At the same time, there have been
:32:58. > :32:59.some tweets from politicians who are saying that the lockdown in
:33:00. > :33:02.Westminster is now over. That should mean that those MPs who have been
:33:03. > :33:05.locked in the chamber this afternoon should be allowed to go. We have
:33:06. > :33:07.seen people leaving office blocks. Members who work around here have
:33:08. > :33:09.been stuck in their offices this afternoon. They could just watch the
:33:10. > :33:11.news and see what was happening. That is what we understand it
:33:12. > :33:15.happening. Thanks. Adam Fleming, love of our political correspondence
:33:16. > :33:20.is at the Abbey. What is going on? -- another one of our political
:33:21. > :33:23.correspondents. After several hours of manners of Parliament and members
:33:24. > :33:29.of the House of Lords and staff being locked in Westminster Abbey,
:33:30. > :33:32.giving witness statements to the police, people are starting to
:33:33. > :33:35.emerge after being in there for several hours. Dominic Grieve, the
:33:36. > :33:40.former Attorney General said the atmosphere was very pleasant. People
:33:41. > :33:43.were very calm. Gary Gardner, a member of the Shadow Cabinet for
:33:44. > :33:47.labour said that he was impressed with the police operation and the
:33:48. > :33:48.smoothness with which people were evacuated from Westminster. Lord
:33:49. > :33:56.Pearson? Would you want a quick word with us?
:33:57. > :34:00.No. MPs and peers just trying to get home. They have been in there for
:34:01. > :34:04.couple of hours. They have been slowly let out and in groups.
:34:05. > :34:10.Screened by the police before were allowed out. A whole cross-section
:34:11. > :34:16.of people. Here is Chris Bryant, the Labour MP. You are live on BBC news.
:34:17. > :34:19.Am I? What has it been like in the Abbey for the last couple of hours.
:34:20. > :34:23.It feels like a very long time. You have been in there since 5pm. We
:34:24. > :34:28.don't know very much news because nearly all of our... We don't have
:34:29. > :34:35.mobile phones working or anything. My biggest sadness I understand that
:34:36. > :34:38.there have been casualties. It is now concerned that there are four
:34:39. > :34:45.deaths, today. Right. I don't know what happened to the police officer
:34:46. > :34:50.concerned. We are just constantly aware that people sometimes put
:34:51. > :34:54.themselves in harms way to protect us and to protect our of life. The
:34:55. > :34:57.British way of life. I hope Parliament will be able to be up and
:34:58. > :35:02.running tomorrow because we need to be able to show that nothing stops
:35:03. > :35:06.British democracy. Nothing gets in the way of British democracy. You've
:35:07. > :35:08.obviously being in a media blackout because the Commons authorities
:35:09. > :35:13.tweeted that Parliament is normal tomorrow which I imagine you
:35:14. > :35:17.welcome? It absolutely should be. Obviously, my heart goes out to the
:35:18. > :35:21.people who have lost people and who will be worried. We've all been
:35:22. > :35:26.getting lots of text messages and tweets asking if we are all right,
:35:27. > :35:29.that kind of stuff. I want to pay tribute to the security services who
:35:30. > :35:32.have done an amazing job today. We have maybe been getting a bit grumpy
:35:33. > :35:37.because we are thinking, is this really necessary that we have no
:35:38. > :35:41.idea what's been going on outside. Have people been released from
:35:42. > :35:46.within the chamber yet? I'm not sure. I think you are the first
:35:47. > :35:49.people to be allowed out from the secure area. Do you feel safe for
:35:50. > :35:54.your own life as a member of Parliament after what has happened
:35:55. > :36:00.today? That's the least of my considerations although I have been
:36:01. > :36:04.saying for quite a long time that, you know, there are... Disturbing
:36:05. > :36:07.and disturbed people, whether politically disturbed or whatever.
:36:08. > :36:12.Disturbed people in the world, who want to do harm to our way of life.
:36:13. > :36:17.Sometimes to individuals as well. Less than a year ago the Jo Cox was
:36:18. > :36:23.murdered. We need to take necessary precautions to make sure that we
:36:24. > :36:28.protect that which we value. As a whole country what we value. And,
:36:29. > :36:31.also, just the idea that completely innocent civilians walking past who
:36:32. > :36:36.have absolutely nothing to do with political life might have lost their
:36:37. > :36:39.lives today. Very distressing. Chris Bryant, thank you. I'm freezing
:36:40. > :36:44.cold! It's freezing in Westminster Abbey! Thank you. Chris Bryant, the
:36:45. > :36:49.Labour MP reacting to events, telling us more about what it has
:36:50. > :36:52.been like for MPs and peers, spending several hours at
:36:53. > :36:54.Westminster Abbey. A bit of a communications blacked out, us
:36:55. > :37:01.breaking the news to them about what has happened today. -- blackout.
:37:02. > :37:08.Thank you. Adam Fleming with MPs, peers and staff who have been in
:37:09. > :37:11.Westminster Abbey for several hours. We have just had a tweak in from
:37:12. > :37:16.Kings College Hospital, which is treating a member of the injured
:37:17. > :37:21.from today's incident. They are saying two of their patients are in
:37:22. > :37:25.a critical condition. Six are in a stable condition. Ate together.
:37:26. > :37:33.Others at other hospitals. Kings College Hospital and two in a
:37:34. > :37:38.critical condition, six are stable. Let's talk to an eyewitness who, I
:37:39. > :37:44.think, saw what happened, just across the road from Parliament
:37:45. > :37:49.earlier on today. Tell us what you saw all heard, Cash Marley. I was
:37:50. > :37:52.just on the bridge, opposite Big Ben.
:37:53. > :37:58.I heard a commotion going on towards the bridge. I looked over and I saw
:37:59. > :38:04.a bunch of screening people running away. Men. I saw somebody, over the
:38:05. > :38:08.side of the bridge and land in the water. I didn't see them come back
:38:09. > :38:13.up. And a bit after that, that's when I heard from gunshots.
:38:14. > :38:21.Did you know this was a car hitting people on the bridge? No. At the
:38:22. > :38:26.time I didn't have a clue what was going on, I would have got out of
:38:27. > :38:30.there if I knew what was going on. You say you saw the person
:38:31. > :38:36.jumping... Falling from the bridge into the river? Yeah. Yeah, I see
:38:37. > :38:39.someone come over the side of the bridge. Slipping around and landed
:38:40. > :38:48.in the water. I didn't see them come back up. We gather that was a woman
:38:49. > :38:52.who was actually pulled, alive, from the water. She has serious injuries
:38:53. > :38:55.but she was pulled alive from the water. When all of this was going
:38:56. > :39:00.on, what was going through your mind? What were you thinking? I just
:39:01. > :39:06.thought, this is crazy! I didn't know what was going on. I thought I
:39:07. > :39:10.heard gunshots but I wasn't too sure. If I had heard a gun I would
:39:11. > :39:17.have been out of there. I wasn't going to try to stick around. Cash
:39:18. > :39:23.Marley, thank you very much indeed. Can I say something quickly as well
:39:24. > :39:27.please? Thank you. Let's just bring your reaction from the United States
:39:28. > :39:31.that's been coming in. We know that President Trump has been talking to
:39:32. > :39:36.the Prime Minister, Theresa May, that the attack. Sean Spicer, the
:39:37. > :39:37.White House press secretary has condemned the attack, let's have a
:39:38. > :39:42.listen. We obviously condemn today's
:39:43. > :39:43.attack on Westminster which the United Kingdom is treating
:39:44. > :39:46.as an act of terrorism. We applaud the quick response
:39:47. > :39:48.that the British police and the first responders made
:39:49. > :39:55.to the situation. The victims in this are in our
:39:56. > :39:58.thoughts and our prayers. The City of London and Her Majesty's
:39:59. > :40:01.government have the full support of the US government,
:40:02. > :40:03.responding to the attack and bringing those to justice
:40:04. > :40:15.who are responsible. Sean Spicer, the White House press
:40:16. > :40:20.secretary. Let's go to John Sobol. What has been the reaction from the
:40:21. > :40:22.White House? There was deep shock when they heard that London had come
:40:23. > :40:27.under attack but maybe not surprised. After all, there have
:40:28. > :40:32.been attacks in Paris, Belgium and other places as well. It was only
:40:33. > :40:36.natural we would get this response from the White House and Donald
:40:37. > :40:39.Trump hasn't spoken to Theresa May. What marks it out from previous
:40:40. > :40:44.attacks when Donald Trump wasn't in the White House is that there has
:40:45. > :40:49.been known to eating from him saying, "I told you so, this is why
:40:50. > :40:53.we need them measures to deal with radical Islamic terrorism as he
:40:54. > :40:58.chooses to put trade. -- there has been no tweeting. Nothing of that
:40:59. > :41:03.type. We would shoot to hear from Boris Johnson who was in Washington
:41:04. > :41:08.for talks with Rex Tillerson, his American counterpart. There is a big
:41:09. > :41:12.summit going on in the US in the fight against so-called Islamic
:41:13. > :41:16.state. It was in the context of that but we were due to hear from them
:41:17. > :41:21.but that has been called off. A lot of American reaction here is about
:41:22. > :41:24.the consular business, just checking that Americans, who may be in
:41:25. > :41:30.London, are safe and asking relatives to phone home. Thank you.
:41:31. > :41:36.We are joined at the police cordoned just down the road from the Palace
:41:37. > :41:41.of Westminster by the MPs Damian Collins, thank you for being with
:41:42. > :41:45.us. How has it affected you over the last few hours, where were you when
:41:46. > :41:48.it happened? I was with a group of probably 20 or 30 MPs walking
:41:49. > :41:54.through from portcullis house to vote in the House of, is when a
:41:55. > :41:59.division was called. The House of Commons. On the walkway I heard
:42:00. > :42:02.shouts from the yard and then gunshots. The police were instantly
:42:03. > :42:05.in control of the situation and we were told to get down onto the
:42:06. > :42:11.floor. We were there for a short period of time and moved back into
:42:12. > :42:17.portcullis house. We didn't see anything that had happened. And then
:42:18. > :42:22.portcullis house was evacuated. Half an hour afterwards. There was an
:42:23. > :42:26.effective lockdown. The police were on top of the situation very
:42:27. > :42:31.quickly. You have it in lockdown for the last few hours and let go, as it
:42:32. > :42:36.were? Yes. We were just told we could go, now. They have started the
:42:37. > :42:42.process of evacuating the building. Lots of MPs and and lots of visitors
:42:43. > :42:45.with meetings for MPs and visitors. Everyone was held together and
:42:46. > :42:49.waiting for instructions from the police. What are your thoughts
:42:50. > :42:54.tonight, an attack on the heart of British democracy. It's a terrible
:42:55. > :42:58.incident. Our first thoughts are with the victims and their families.
:42:59. > :43:03.A police officer killed in the line of duty, protecting Parliament and
:43:04. > :43:06.the public. That time of day on Westminster Bridge, not a tourist
:43:07. > :43:09.and international visitors, people going about their business and what
:43:10. > :43:13.has happened today is a terrible tragedy -- a lot of tourists. Cobra
:43:14. > :43:17.meeting tonight, the government emergency committee. What should be
:43:18. > :43:21.the response of government? We obviously need to understand fully
:43:22. > :43:24.what happened today, why it happened. Who was involved in it.
:43:25. > :43:28.The security services do an excellent job and the way they
:43:29. > :43:33.responded to the terrible events of today show that it is too early to
:43:34. > :43:35.say. We gather one of your apology colleagues, Tobias Ellwood, was
:43:36. > :43:42.actually involved in trying to save the life of the police officer who
:43:43. > :43:45.died. We have been trying to follow as best we could the coverage of
:43:46. > :43:49.what has happened today and piece together what happened. I have seen
:43:50. > :43:53.pictures of Tobias and he was a former serving officer and is a
:43:54. > :43:56.brave man. He clearly used his skills to try to help the others as
:43:57. > :43:59.best he could. What should be the response in Parliament? We gather it
:44:00. > :44:04.is sitting tomorrow. MPs and peers will sit tomorrow as normal. Is that
:44:05. > :44:07.the right response? I think so. Including that the government want
:44:08. > :44:09.to make a statement about what has happened today. What they know. What
:44:10. > :44:17.the response will be. This is a terrible day. At the
:44:18. > :44:23.business of Parliament must continue. Damian Collins, thank you
:44:24. > :44:25.for talking to us. -- but the business. Damian Collins MP just
:44:26. > :44:28.allowed out of the lockdown that there has been for the last few
:44:29. > :44:37.hours around Westminster. We can now talk to Margaret Gilmore. Thank you
:44:38. > :44:43.very much for being with us. What do you think are the security
:44:44. > :44:47.applications of this attack, today? It came as absolutely no surprise.
:44:48. > :44:53.There will be a working assumption amongst the security agencies that
:44:54. > :44:57.this was a terrorist attack. They responded in a well practised way.
:44:58. > :45:05.Further down the line, not in the next week or so, but further down
:45:06. > :45:07.the line there will be a review. There is probably not a building
:45:08. > :45:13.that is more secure than the Palace of Westminster. The streets around
:45:14. > :45:20.Westminster, pedestrians are kept away from vehicles by bollards
:45:21. > :45:24.everywhere apart from Westminster Bridge. There will be security
:45:25. > :45:30.issues, reviews of security that the security response as things unfolded
:45:31. > :45:35.was well practised. And carried out very well.
:45:36. > :45:40.And what appears to have been an attack on civilians on the bridge,
:45:41. > :45:49.using a vehicle, that has become... We saw it in Nice and Germany, that
:45:50. > :45:53.has become a new method of attack. That car couldn't have got much
:45:54. > :45:56.further attacking like that, it crashed into the walls, the fences
:45:57. > :46:00.and fencing around the actual building. They are a long way from
:46:01. > :46:04.the building. Had there been a bomb, as was feared, it would not have
:46:05. > :46:10.affected the building, probably. But they found a weak link, heading that
:46:11. > :46:14.way. Absolutely. It has all the signs of the type of things that
:46:15. > :46:18.Isis in particular... We don't know, for sure, have been promoting.
:46:19. > :46:25.Whether this person was inspired by ices, but they are a supporter,
:46:26. > :46:29.whether they just went online or had other contacts, this is issues that
:46:30. > :46:32.the police, now in charge of the criminal investigation, will really
:46:33. > :46:35.be pursuing very, very carefully tonight. -- inspired by ices.
:46:36. > :46:44.Of course, we are told so many times that MI5 and the security services
:46:45. > :46:48.and counterterrorism police have intercepted a number of plots in the
:46:49. > :46:54.last few years. 13 was the figure given. They have always said they
:46:55. > :46:59.can't stop them all. 13 in the last three years. We are on the
:47:00. > :47:03.second-highest security alert, meaning an attack is highly likely.
:47:04. > :47:06.They can't follow everybody. Is quite likely that we will find out
:47:07. > :47:09.that this guy somewhere along the line has been in touch with the
:47:10. > :47:12.authorities in some way, whether it is petty crime, until health
:47:13. > :47:18.problems, maybe he was on the radar but on a B list, as what happened
:47:19. > :47:22.with the 7/7 bombers three years ago. But the vast majority of plots,
:47:23. > :47:26.we need to know this, are being stopped. At one will always get
:47:27. > :47:32.through and this is one. There will be very few. Sad for the victims
:47:33. > :47:35.tonight. They are doing a good job but cannot stop everything. We have
:47:36. > :47:42.been warned about it. This happening is not a surprise. Margaret Gilmore,
:47:43. > :47:47.thank you. From the Royal United services Institute. Let's hear from
:47:48. > :47:49.one of the eyewitnesses. Kevin Schofield, a political journalist
:47:50. > :47:56.who saw what happened from his office window in Westminster.
:47:57. > :47:59.First of all we heard a loud bang, similar to a car crash.
:48:00. > :48:01.And we looked out, across Westminster Bridge
:48:02. > :48:04.from our offices and there was a bit of a commotion, people running
:48:05. > :48:06.around, shouting trying to work out what had happened.
:48:07. > :48:08.We thought there might have been a bus crash,
:48:09. > :48:11.there a lot of buses going up and down the road,
:48:12. > :48:13.and the next thing I looked down at Carriage Gates
:48:14. > :48:15.on the outer perimeter of the parliamentary estate.
:48:16. > :48:18.These gates are secure all day, there's armed policemen,
:48:19. > :48:23.you're only able to get in with a pass.
:48:24. > :48:26.I saw a man basically who rushed through the gates,
:48:27. > :48:27.stormed the gates, attacked a policeman, the
:48:28. > :48:31.Another policemen went to approach him, the man then got up,
:48:32. > :48:34.with his arm outstretched straight, looking like he had a knife
:48:35. > :48:37.in his hand I think it was, holding it out, holding it
:48:38. > :48:41.And then where they walked, I couldn't quite see,
:48:42. > :48:44.I couldn't get a great vantage point, and then there
:48:45. > :48:47.was lots of gunfire and that's obviously when we knew something
:48:48. > :48:50.serious was under way and lots of armed police
:48:51. > :48:57.I can see a car that's crashed into one of the gates on the side
:48:58. > :49:00.of Westminster Bridge, that seems to be what the bang
:49:01. > :49:03.was and I can see the car is still there right now,
:49:04. > :49:18.That was Kevin Schofield, a political journalist who saw what
:49:19. > :49:22.happened. Let's hear from another eyewitness, who was speaking to our
:49:23. > :49:28.home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford little earlier. I was
:49:29. > :49:30.coming out of the tube at Westminster at 245. It was clear
:49:31. > :49:31.something happened. I was ushered onto Westminster
:49:32. > :49:33.Bridge, but then I looked across to the West pavement
:49:34. > :49:37.and there were bodies, people lying So I then moved up into the middle
:49:38. > :49:44.of the bridge, looked further down the south side of the bridge
:49:45. > :49:47.and it was clear there were also bodies, people lying on the floor
:49:48. > :49:50.on the western pavement. When I spoke to someone who had
:49:51. > :49:53.clearly been on the bridge at the time of the incident
:49:54. > :49:56.they said that a car had mounted the pavement, or a vehicle,
:49:57. > :49:58.and literally driven the whole way from south to north, up the bridge,
:49:59. > :50:02.knocking people over. I counted eight people
:50:03. > :50:04.the length of the bridge from south to north,
:50:05. > :50:08.at least eight. One was clearly in a sort of shocked
:50:09. > :50:12.moment, so you are not quite sure what is going on,
:50:13. > :50:15.but as I looked up and down As I was standing there,
:50:16. > :50:20.an ambulance came over, landed in Parliament Square and out
:50:21. > :50:28.came an incredible number of security personnel,
:50:29. > :50:30.both obviously from the Ambulance Service, paramedics, but also
:50:31. > :50:32.suddenly plain clothes people, people with masks on,
:50:33. > :50:38.people with machine guns. The quantity of armed
:50:39. > :50:40.personnel arriving was very Then as I looked, there
:50:41. > :50:48.were vehicles arriving from the embankment,
:50:49. > :50:49.both police vehicles, vehicles with lights on and then
:50:50. > :50:52.a grey van with a number In a sense, reassuring to know
:50:53. > :51:00.that there were so many armed security personnel looking
:51:01. > :51:02.after our safety so quickly after what was clearly
:51:03. > :51:11.a pretty dramatic event. want to show you what is happening
:51:12. > :51:21.behind us and the police called in. Quite a number of people
:51:22. > :51:25.are leaving. They have been involved in this lockdown in Westminster ever
:51:26. > :51:33.since the incident happened early on this afternoon. They have been stuck
:51:34. > :51:37.inside for several hours. Only now allowed to leave. That includes MPs,
:51:38. > :51:43.peers, clerical staff, canteen staff, all sorts of people. About
:51:44. > :51:47.1000 people were kept in Westminster before the security and in the
:51:48. > :51:49.Palace of Westminster. Only now allowed to go home.
:51:50. > :51:51.Let's talk to Peter Power a former counter terrorism officer
:51:52. > :51:54.with Scotland Yard who now consults on crisis management for situation
:51:55. > :52:05.Thank you for being with us. What are your thoughts on what's happened
:52:06. > :52:08.today? We shouldn't really be surprised. Some moments ago Margaret
:52:09. > :52:13.Gilmore was talking about the first level, which equates to "An attack
:52:14. > :52:17.is highly likely". We have been at that level for a month. There is a
:52:18. > :52:20.threat fatigue because nothing has happened for so long. Secondly, a
:52:21. > :52:28.few weeks ago, the government published a new app for everybody
:52:29. > :52:33.with a mobile phone called Citizen Aid and this tells you what to do if
:52:34. > :52:35.you are caught up in what police called a marauding terrorist attack.
:52:36. > :52:42.But how many people know that? We saw last weekend the police had a
:52:43. > :52:49.major counterterrorist exercise on the River Thames. Perhaps more
:52:50. > :52:53.importantly, 168... 68 countries are meeting in Washington to discuss how
:52:54. > :52:59.to defeat Islamic state. Take these things together and we really
:53:00. > :53:03.shouldn't be surprised. When Mark Rowley, the senior police officer
:53:04. > :53:06.stood outside of Scotland Yard and said "This is a day we have prepared
:53:07. > :53:15.for" he is absolutely right. Stay with us. I want to show viewers
:53:16. > :53:20.what is happening behind us. Lots of people who have been caught up in
:53:21. > :53:24.the security lockdown at Westminster, who are now finally
:53:25. > :53:32.being allowed to go home... By the police, after a long stint, where
:53:33. > :53:36.they have been held... And not allowed to leave.
:53:37. > :53:43.They are now able to go home. Let's go back to Peter, former
:53:44. > :53:48.counterterrorism officer. We have heard, quite often, that a number of
:53:49. > :53:53.plots in the last three years, I think 13, have been foiled,
:53:54. > :53:57.intercepted, by the police and MI5. But, obviously, they can't stop them
:53:58. > :54:03.all. No, they can't. Let's remember, the radar screen applied by MI6 and
:54:04. > :54:07.MI5 and the police and so on is countries of two things. We don't
:54:08. > :54:12.live in a police state, we cannot stop people without suspicion -- is
:54:13. > :54:15.conscious of two things. What is happening now, terrorists are
:54:16. > :54:20.resorting to using things you might find in your kitchen or garage, they
:54:21. > :54:23.are not using explosives. It is quite easy for terrorists to get
:54:24. > :54:30.very close with nothing more than a knife or simply driving a car.
:54:31. > :54:34.Suddenly, they become weapons. Things have changed. Essentially, we
:54:35. > :54:38.go through three stages of mayhem, mastermind and manhunt. Mayhem, the
:54:39. > :54:43.sheer terror and confusion. Mastermind, who can we find to tell
:54:44. > :54:46.us what is going on? Manhunt, who can we blame? As we talk this
:54:47. > :54:49.evening, we not entirely sure that the finger were generally be
:54:50. > :54:54.pointing towards people who would like to be associated with so-called
:54:55. > :54:57.Islamic State. On this very day, though 68 countries are meeting in
:54:58. > :55:03.Washington to discuss how to defeat Islamic State.
:55:04. > :55:07.Peter, thank you for talking to us, a former counterterrorism officer
:55:08. > :55:14.with Scotland Yard. Still, people now emerging from this
:55:15. > :55:19.lockdown at Westminster. Just over my left shoulder, you can see
:55:20. > :55:23.hundreds of people in the last few minutes, they have been finally able
:55:24. > :55:29.to leave, allowed to leave by the police after being held in the
:55:30. > :55:36.Westminster area. About 1000 of them in Westminster Abbey. Including MPs,
:55:37. > :55:41.peers and office staff. Others held in their offices where they work in
:55:42. > :55:46.Westminster. That is the latest from here. The Metropolitan Police now
:55:47. > :55:50.saying that four people have died, including the assailant. Also, the
:55:51. > :55:55.police officer who was stabbed. A woman and another casualty on
:55:56. > :55:59.Westminster Bridge. In total, 20 people have been injured. They are
:56:00. > :56:04.being treated at a number of hospitals. Some are critically ill
:56:05. > :56:05.this evening. That is the latest from Westminster. You are watching
:56:06. > :56:16.BBC news. We will have much more coverage live
:56:17. > :56:17.from Westminster that the