Westminster attack vigil BBC News Special

Tonight at Six - the Westminster attacker was British-born and known

He's been named as 52-year-old Khalid Masood.

So-called Islamic State claim he was one of its soldiers.

Overnight there were raids in Birmingham and London -

He was known to the services. So-called Islamic State have claimed

responsibility for the attack. If people have been arrested in

overnight raids in Birmingham and London. The police investigation

continues. The third victim of the attack has been named today as Curt

Cochran, a US tourist in London to celebrate his silver wedding

anniversary. Spanish teacher Ayesha Braid and PC Keith Palmer were also

killed in the attack. MPs and police have been holding a minute's

silence. The Prime Minister said Britain would not be cowed. We are

not afraid. Our resolve will never waver in the face of terrorism. And

thousands of people are gathering in Trafalgar Square this evening for a

vigil for those affected by the terror attack.

Good evening from Westminster Bridge. You can see people walking

around just a day after the deadly attack that left people dead and

injured on this bridge. 52-year-old Khaled Masood has been named by the

police as the attacker who drove his hired vehicle along the bridge,

ploughing into pedestrians and members of the public and tourists,

people from 12 different nationalities, then smashing his car

into the railings of the Palace of Westminster, attacking a police

officer there with a knife, stabbing him to death. PC Keith Palmer.

Before the attacker was shot dead. In Trafalgar Square, there is a

vigil. In memory of those who have lost their lives and with people,

and thousands of people coming to pay their respects to those who have

died and those who have been injured as well and all those affected and

traumatised by the attack yesterday, the most deadly terror attack on

British soil since the 7-7 bombings of 2005. You can see their,

dignitaries on the steps of the National Gallery and many people who

are arriving now for this vigil. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, had

asked people to come here not only to pay their respects to the dead

and remember those who are injured as well, but also a gesture of

defiance. The Prime Minister earlier on in the Commons telling MPs, we

are not afraid, we will not be covered by terror, our resolve will

never waver in the face of terrorism. That has been the message

from politicians, the police, members of the public who have been

coming back onto the streets of Westminster, Westminster Bridge

where we are, and in Trafalgar Square in force, showing that life

goes on as normal and that terrorism will not succeed. The reason they

called it an attack on free people everywhere. She also said that

yesterday we saw the worst of humanity, but we will remember the

best. She was talking particularly about PC Keith Palmer, the

48-year-old police officer who had 15 years of service in the

Metropolitan Police, who died of stab wounds, gardening and

protecting the Palace of Westminster and he is one of those who lost

their lives being remembered with this candlelit vigil this evening.

This vigil in Trafalgar Square. Ayeeshia free had also died

yesterday, a Spanish teacher. A mother and wife. Curt Cochran, an

American citizen from Utah also lost his life. His wife is still in

hospital being treated for her injuries. Let's bring in our

Political Correspondent, Carell Walker. We will speak to her in a

moment. Let's listen in to the vigil in Trafalgar Square. Yesterday's

defence was really terrible. Three people were taken from us.

Our thoughts are with their families and friends. Many more were gravely

injured and all of us have been deeply affected by what has

happened. This cannot be undone, much as we wish it. However, we do

get to choose our reaction and gathering here tonight shows exactly

how we must move forward. We must stand together. People have tried to

tear this city apart with acts of terror many times before. They have

never succeeded and they never will. Our emergency services came together

yesterday to help those affected by this cowardly act. This city and

indeed this country will do the same. We will act as one and embrace

our differences. In doing so, we will clearly demonstrate the

futility of hatred and the overwhelming power of friendship.

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the Home

Secretary, the Right Honourable Amber Rudd MP.

I would like to start by saying thank you and paying tribute to the

officer who lost his life, Keith Palmer. I know we will all be

thinking about his friends and his family. He was courageous, he was

brave and he was also doing his duty. He is not alone in doing that.

I know that all officers of the net are like that. In my experience, so

far of policemen. I want us to say thank you to them all for their

great sacrifice and risks that they keep us safe. They and the emergency

services. Yesterday we also saw a member of Parliament leaping in,

trying to help this police officer. It reminded us of how we are all so

connected, particularly when the random victims on the bridge of

different nationalities, tourists going about their business, were

also mowed down in a terrible way. They will not win. We are all

connected and today we showed that by coming together, they going to

work, by about our normal business, because the terrorists will not

defeat us. We will defeat them. We are strong in our values and proud

of our country. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the Mayor of

London, Sadiq Khan. We come together as Londoners

tonight, to remember those who have lost their lives and all those

affected by the horrific attack yesterday. Also, to send a clear

message, Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism.

Those evil and twisted individuals who tried to destroy our shared way

of life will never succeed and we condemn them. Our hearts are with

the family and friends of PC Keith,, Aysha Frade, Kurt Cochran and all

those injured in the attack yesterday. The victims were people

who came from all corners of our world. This is a time to express our

gratitude to the heroism of our police officers and emergency

services who ran towards danger to help and at the same time they

encourage others to run for safety. London is a great city. Full of

amazing people from all backgrounds. When Londoners face adversity, he

always pull together. We stand up for our values and be sure the world

we are the greatest city in the world.

Our response to this attack on our city, to this attack on our way of

life, to this attack on our shared values shows the world what it means

to be a Londoner. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, there will now

be a minute's silence. That concludes our ceremony today.

Thank you for joining us here on Trafalgar Square. You are welcome to

remain on the square to contemplate and commemorate. Thank you very

much. Poignant scenes there in Trafalgar

Square as people came to remember those who have died and you can see

three candles lit in memory of the three victims of the terror attack

yesterday. The Spanish teacher, an American tourist celebrating his

silver wedding anniversary with his wife and a police officer guarding

the Palace of Westminster, PC Keith Palmer. Carol Walker, our Political

Correspondent was watching and listening to that and, Carol, the

Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, with

equally defiant messages saying that terrorism will not win. Amber Rudd

said terrorism will not win, we will defeat terrorism. Real defiance

there as well as poignancy and dignity in that vigil at Trafalgar

Square. Yes indeed. The vigil, those words reflecting the mood and the

sentiment we have had expressed throughout the day really at

Westminster. Trafalgar Square just the other end of Whitehall from

where the attack took place. You can see many people still gathering

there the three candles burning in memory of the three who died in the

attack. Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, saying there that are

thoughts, of course, were with the family in particular of Keith

Palmer, the policeman, who was stabbed and died in that attack. She

described him as courageous, brave, doing his duty and she expressed her

thanks to all the police and others in the emergency services for the

risks they take to keep others save. Terrorism will not defeat us, she

said, we will defeat them. Strong in our values, she said. We are proud

of our country. We heard also from Sadiq Khan, a game, echoing that

mood of quiet defiance after the attack on democracy, the evil

twisted individuals who described them as who would seek to take away

and disrupt our way of life. Talking about how the victims were people

who had come from all corners of the world and expressed his thanks for

the emergency services who ran towards danger. Londoners, he said,

in the face of adversity, pulled together to stand up for our values

and show the world what a great city Londoners. You can see they are

having some troubles getting the candles light on the street when

they are burning right now and others are adding their own tributes

to those who were killed in that attack. I think a chance for many

ordinary Londoners, ordinary visitors to the city to show their

tributes and express their grief, there concerns and pass on their

condolences to those who died and share their thoughts are with those

who were injured in the attack. People lighting candles from those

three large candles in memory of the three who lost their lives and a

huge number of people there in Trafalgar Square, really a show of

defiance, echoing the defiance we saw from MPs when they debated this

morning in the chamber of the House of Commons, just a day after the

attack, on the Palace of Westminster. People coming out onto

the streets, showing that they will not be cowed and it reminds me

slightly of Paris after the terror attacks there and people very much

wanted to come out onto the streets and should defiance. Yes, indeed.

Any people in London had, of course, none of the risk of a terrorist

attack in the heart of London. This one on the heart of democracy has

really touched people. We heard politicians from all parties

expressing solidarity, their determination to stand up for their

values, determination to carry on with their daily work. Many people

out and about in London. Of course, some will have been concerned and

there was heightened security, extra police in many stations and so on.

Those tributes and the mood of resolve led by the Prime Minister he

made that statement in Parliament this morning. We saw the minute's

silence this morning, another one there in Trafalgar Square as people

remembered the dead. The reason they saying, in her speech, that this

attempt to silence democracy would not succeed. The Prime Minister has

written in the book of condolence in Westminster Hall. There were people

in a small queue when I was there a little earlier this afternoon

waiting to write their own tributes. The Prime Minister, in her message

in the book of condolence, echoing the sentiment she expressed in

Parliament saying that the attempt to silence our democracy failed and

that one people send their condolences to family and friends of

who died, also saying that Westminster was the heart of our

democracy, a symbol of our tradition and values and our values will

prevail. I think that was the note of defiance and determination which

was echoed in different ways by different politicians across

different parties and I think it is the same mood we are seeing there in

Trafalgar Square tonight at the individual as people stand there

with the candles lit for the victims of that attack, showing their

determination to stand together in the wake of the terrorist attack and

to continue with their lives. Thank you very much indeed. Carol Walker,

our Political Correspondent watching the very moving candlelit vigil in

Trafalgar Square where carried from the Home Secretary and the Mayor of

London. I want to bring in former Metropolitan Police Chief

Superintendent 2 Here to discuss more on London

he's a former Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police.

the death of PC, will affect every single police officer, every member

of staff and the police family widely. Police officers do not go to

work thinking they will not go back home, so it is a tragic thing. PC

Palmer was an incredibly brave individual, he ran towards this

individual. This is the most heavily policed area in the. We have new

Scotland Yard, portcullis house with the MPs are, the House of Commons

and the House of Lords. A couple of hundred metres weight you have

Downing Street. There are a huge number of police officers here. The

individual who carried out this attack, it was a bizarre act of

madness, because he could never get away. Taking those innocent lives

was shopping. PC Palmer, as a long serving face officer who guarded the

Palace of Westminster, was known to MPs. He was part of the Westminster

family, the Westminster village. I used to run a team here many years

ago and he got to know all the MPs. The MPs, that is the entry point,

they have it minute to get to the voting chambers cut so you would see

them rushing in and out in taxes. The need to get in and out quickly

to vote. One of the skills of people like Kasey Palmer would be to

recognise all the different MPs and be able to allow those in very

quickly. I think carriage Gates has always been the place where, it is a

unique part of British democracy, because the public will be walking

by and you will have MPs gone in and out. Cheek by jowl, chatting to

individuals. The loss is a tragic one and my sympathies and

condolences to his family. He has been remembered with that candlelit

vigil where the candles were lit in his memory and the other two victims

of the attack yesterday. That attack, which appears to have been

carried out by a lone wolf, somebody who was on the radar of the police

and security forces, but as the Prime Minister said, a peripheral

figure. That is the nightmare for security services, somebody, they

cannot get inside the mind of everybody. There will be individuals

who deteriorate. We have to look at mental health, what motivates these

individuals and they could quickly go from having concerns about

international politics to suddenly doing something as wicked as this. I

think we have to support our police service, we have the support or

security services, but what we also need to do is look at the government

prevent strategy. We need an independent review. There are good

things about it but we need to nature and get the best out of it in

order to deal with those individuals who pose a danger to our community.

And today with radicalisation, is that what you are saying? It is not

like the IRA. 40 years ago, London was bombed. The IRA planted a bomb

inside the cafeteria at the House of Commons. Those days are gone.

Individuals get radicalised online. We need to ask Twitter, Facebook,

Google what they are doing to share information about extremists quickly

with security services. Recently we have had some big companies pulling

out because they are concerned about adverts appearing on extremist

websites. There is a lot for those organisations today. We have also

seen so-called Islamic State retreating quite significantly. They

are now in two key places in racket in Syria and Mosul in Iraq and even

there they are retreating. They are sending out messages on the

committee telling people to attack. We need to know where those messages

are coming from and deal with those individuals. Thank you so much.

Let's get the very latest on the police investigation. Home Affairs

Correspondent, Daniel Sandford, jointly from new Scotland Yard. What

is the latest? We can tell you there are five addresses still being

searched by police. One in Wales, three in Birmingham and one in East

London. That east London address, I understand, is worth 39-year-old

woman arrested overnight and she, I think, is the partner

All seven of the other arrests made overnight and one of them this

morning took place in Birmingham. Birmingham is a strong focus of this

investigation were the hire car is believed to have been hired from

that was driven across the bridge. It is where the suspect, Khalid

Masood, is believed to have been living in recent years, although he

was born in Kent, British born and bred. The latest update on injuries,

the police say five people remain in a critical condition, two of them

with wife threatening injuries. Daniel, just stay with us. We're

just looking at pictures from Trafalgar Square, --

life-threatening injuries. We had that poignant vigil for the three

people killed by the attacker, Khalid Masood, yesterday. And others

injured in that attack who are still in hospital, still critically

injured. And defiant messages from the Home Secretary and the Mayor of

London at that vigil. Khalid Masood, the Prime Minister was saying

earlier on in the Commons that he had been a peripheral figure,

although he had been on the radar of MI5, he was not part of any current

intelligence picture. And that is a real problem for the intelligence

services, when it isn't a wider conspiracy, it is apparently one man

acting like this, with such deadly consequences. His background is

interesting. First of all, he is 52, which is quite unusually old for

people involved in an attack like this. He certainly has a violent

criminal history. His most recent conviction was in 2003 when he was

convicted of possessing a knife. In more recent years he has not had

criminal convictions. Although he appeared on the edge of this

investigation into violent extremism, he did not become a major

suspect the investigation and slowly drifted off the radar of the

intelligence services and police, and was not part of any current

investigation, and that gives the police a problem. There are some

people that they are very worried about, typically 2000-3000 at anyone

time that have to be kept under watch of some sort that any one

time, and those people are just off that watch list are the ones you

find it easier to hire a car and dry through a crowd of tourists in

Central London and then launch a knife attack on the Houses of

Parliament. That is always the problem. People can radicalise quite

quickly, or the circumstances of their life can change quickly, and

they can suddenly decide to carry out some kind of specific, violent

act. Don't forget, the police still regard this as being and is not --

Islamist inspired attack and it is worth saying that a Twitter account

linked to so-called Islamic State has said that they were responsible

for this attack, although for the police, I don't think that is a

central part of the investigation. What they want to know our who are

the associates of Khalid Masood and didn't any of them know what was

happening or, even worse, help him carry out this terrible carnage

right at the seat of Britain's democracy. And B3, interesting that

the Prime Minister said when she was talking to MPs, that the current

threat level is critical, rather than severe, the highest level, so

suggesting, really, that this event yesterday was a one-off. Yes, these

things are always to do with assessments. The assessment, even in

the immediate aftermath of the attack yesterday was that appeared

to be a one-off. At no point did we see the threat level publicly go up

above severe. That still means that an attempted attack is believed to

be highly likely, but it doesn't mean that an attack is believed to

be imminent which is what the critical threat level means. It

means that for now they think that this was a one-off. One other thing

worth saying is that, whenever a police officer shoot somebody there

has to be an investigation by the IPCC, and the Metropolitan Police

and the IPCC have said that such an investigation has begun, and the

investigation into the circumstances of the incident, but at this point,

no police officer is under suspicion, which gives you an idea

of the approach that the IPCC will be taking to this investigation.

Many thanks, Daniel Sandford, home affairs correspondent, with the

latest on the police investigation. Let's join our colleague Christian

Fraser who is down the road across Parliament Square from me at

Westminster. Yes, we have just been walking around this evening trying

to get a feel for the cordon at the moment. Quite a big police presence

outside Westminster Abbey. We're at the other side of the bridge. You

can see the carriage Gateway PC Keith Palmer was killed, and around

that area a forensic team have been walking up and down making sure that

they have not missed anything. The objective is to get this busy area

of Central London open again as quickly as possible. Some of that

work will go on through the evening as they try to tie up anything that

they might have missed in the in course of the complex investigation.

As Daniel was saying, from tomorrow you would expect the investigation

to move away from here, very much into the background and

relationships of Khalid Masood. What is also very visible, it's my first

time down here today, just how many people are around going about their

business. We have heard from the acting Met Police Commissioner who

has said that what has happened cannot be on done, but what is

important is the response. People have been coming down to lay flowers

just where we are broadcasting, many of them just coming out of their

offices in fairly determined spirit. When I came into work this morning

on the train, the same people I see every morning, getting on with it,

as London tends to do, and making sure that we were not cowed in any

way by what happened yesterday. It is quite interesting, Christian,

that where we are, Westminster Bridge, which is the focal point of

what Khalid Masood did yesterday, killing and injuring so many people,

but this is now open again, whereas other roads around Westminster are

still closed including Milbank and other major roads around Parliament

Square. One of the other interesting things, some who works in one of the

ministries here was talking about it yesterday, what was particularly

impressive about the security services' response is how they kept

some of these narrow roads open and closed off the area around

Westminster quickly, but what they did not want was traffic backing up

in this area. This has obviously been rehearsed in the past. What you

don't want is people getting eye rake and stressed by traffic jams in

an area that is potentially under attack. -- people getting irate.

They have worked out which roads to keep open and wish to keep clear to

get traffic out of the area. It is obviously being done quite

skilfully. That in itself is reassuring, it is a sign from the

police who have been very visible around Westminster today, the

professional way that they have dealt with this. They have practised

it many times. They were trained for it, even at the weekend. They don't

want to put it into practice but when they did have two, it seemed to

go very smoothly aside from the very sad death of PC Keith Palmer.

Christian, many thanks. Christian Fraser, there for us. That visual we

are seeing at Trafalgar Square included minutes' silence for the

three people who died at the hands of Khalid Masood -- that vigil.

Aysha Frade, Kurt Cochran, an American citizen and a police

officer, PC Keith Palmer. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London that the

fight message at that vigil in Trafalgar Square, saying that

Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism -- with a defiant message.

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, also with an equally defiant message.

Terrorists, she said, will not defeat us. We will defeat them. And

we saw defiance from MPs in the chamber of the House of Commons

today. Simply by having a debate on what happened yesterday, by getting

back to work, that was a message of defiance. And the people who came

out on streets around Westminster and to attend that Trafalgar Square

vigil showed that they will not be cowed by terror. You are watching

Thanks to Ben Brown down in Westminster. We will