Eight arrested in relation to London attack which left four dead

Eight arrests have been made in raids in London, Birmingham and elsewhere following an attack in Westminster that left four persons dead yesterday.
   
Mark Rowley, Acting Deputy Commissioner and head of counter terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, said hundreds of detectives worked through the night, carrying out searches.
  
He said the attacker was inspired by international and Islamist-related terrorism, but gave no further details.
 
Those killed are Police Officer Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade who worked at a London college, American Kurt Cochran and the attacker.
 
Seven of the injured are still in hospital in a critical condition.  

A further 29 were treated and released.   
  
The attacker drove a car along a pavement on Westminster Bridge knocking down pedestrians and creating panic.
 
He then ran towards Parliament where he stabbed PC Palmer who was unarmed.
 
Armed police then shot him.
                                       
Prime Minister Theresa May said the attack was sick and depraved and struck at values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech.

Attacker

The man believed to be responsible for the attack in Westminster has been identified by the Metropolitan Police as Khalid Masood.
   
Masood, who died in the attack, was not the subject of  any current police investigations, but had a range of  previous convictions for assaults.
   
The 52 year-old was born in Kent but was believed to have been living in the West Midlands.
   
Police said there had been no prior intelligence about Masood's intention to carry out an attack.