ISIS claims responsibility for London terror attack, May says attacker British-born

The Guardian said ISIS claimed the responsibility in a statement through the Amaq news agency, which it uses to broadcast propaganda and called  the unnamed man “a soldier of Islamic State”. The claim is unverified.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Theresa May said  the attacker was British-born and had been investigated “some years ago” by MI5 in relation to concerns about violent extremism.

She  told MPs in a statement to parliament on Thursday that the man, whose identity would be revealed in due course, was “not part of the current intelligence picture”.

"An act of terrorism tried to silence our democracy," she told the  House of Commons, which stood for a minute's silence in remembrance of the victims of Wednesday's attack.

“We are not afraid and our resolve will never waver in the face of terrorism," she said.

An unnamed motorist  drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing two people, before crashing it outside parliament and trying to enter the complex, armed with a knife.

He stabbed an unarmed police officer who later died from the injuries, before armed police shot him. The police officer was identified as 48-year-old PC Keith Palmer

The  lone attacker was shot dead by the police.

The prime minister, who was evacuated from parliament within minutes and driven to Downing Street, described Palmer as “every inch a hero”.

Twelve Britons were injured, including three police officers, two of whom were seriously injured. Four university students, three French children, four South Koreans, two Romanians, two Greeks, a Chinese national, an Italian, an American, a Pole, an Irish national and a German woman resident in Australia, were also hurt.

The police on Thursday said eight people have been arrested in connection with the attack.

A service took place in front of Scotland Yard on Thursday morning, in front of the flame that burns as a tribute to all dead Metropolitan police officer.