London Bridge attack: Khuram Butt and the history of the 'Islam4UK' group

As part of ongoing research on both radical Islamist and far-right extremism, I spent the best part of 2009 following the activities of one British city’s al-Muhajiroun group. Also known as Islam4UK, this small group led by Omar Bakri and then Anjem Choudary has been a long-term irritant to the government, as well a staging post in the lives of many British terrorists.

Khuram Shahzad Bhat, Shahzad Bhat, Bhat, Pakistan-born British terrorist, British terrorist, terrorist Pakistan-born British terrorist Khuram Shahzad Bhat. Photo: PTI
Many of those who have committed terrorist violence in the UK and abroad have been part of or connected to the group. Khuram Butt – one of the three London Bridge attackers – is just the latest. Butt was a known follower of the al-Muhajiroun network.

Demonstrations and media appearances by its leaders have caused outrage time and time again – and led to the forming of the right-wing English Defence League (EDL) in opposition to its ideas. In both 2006 and 2010, the group was banned on the grounds of glorification of terrorism, only to reappear under other names.

The group was formed in 1996, when Omar Bakri was expelled from Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist group that aims to restore the historic Caliphate to unite all Muslims. Hizb ut-Tahrir works politically and intellectually, and so did not appreciate Bakri’s “aggressive populist approach and high media profile … street demonstrations, mass rallies and public conversions”. While al-Muhajiroun shared some of Hizb ut-Tahrir’s long-term goals, it seems its immediate aim was to be visibly disruptive.
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Connecting lone wolf killers to Islamic State magnifies the threat

While the magnitude of the attack on people enjoying a Saturday evening out in London on June 3 was not on the same scale as the carnage wrought on Manchester the previous month, terrorism and fear of terrorism is not just about the body count.

If what scared the public and motivated politicians most was simply an actuarial risk-assessment exercise, we would be far more afraid of road accidents – or domestic violence, which 432 people (mostly women) lost their lives to in the UK between April 2012 and March 2015.

Rather, what makes terrorism such a visceral and emotive phenomenon is that it is, essentially, political violence. Terrorism courts publicity. It is about the “propaganda of the deed” and using violence to communicate a political message.

The form of the Manchester attack was particularly striking given its use of explosives and the targeting of mostly young teenage girls – a particularly vulnerable section of society – at a concert. But such attacks have become rare in the UK due to a multitude of surveillance and security powers and the cooperation of local communities. Instead, it seems, “low-tech” attacks that use vehicles and knives are on the rise, exploiting the banality of the objects they employ as weapons to avoid arousing suspicion.

Yet these low-tech attacks also seek to send a message. Terrorist attacks are designed to communicate strength through the use of shock tactics.

Islamic State (IS) propaganda is replete with militaristic images, and seeks to recruit followers to join its supposedly massive, well-equipped army. Ironically, low tech attacks should fail to do this – and communicate the exact opposite. They are an express admission that the individual terrorists do not possess the technical capabilities or resources to carry out other, more sophisticated forms of attack. So why then are these low-tech attacks not conceptualised as a sign of weakness?
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8 minutes on London Bridge: Years of training led to prompt police response

Eight minutes. That is the length of time from the start of the London Bridge attack to the three terrorists being killed by armed police. The Metropolitan Police Service is rightly being heralded for the speed, courage and effectiveness of its members in ending a terrorist atrocity. But the success in their response which prevented more people from being injured and killed is, besides individual bravery, about learning from previous terrorist attacks, training and resources.

In the pre-9/11 era, the style of terrorist attacks frequently involved hostage takings in which terrorists sought to negotiate to achieve some set of aims, gain wider publicity and then try to get away with their lives. The most famous example of this was the attack at the Munich Olympics which stretched out for several days before ending with a botched rescue attempt at an airport and the killing of members of the Israeli Olympic team by Palestinian terrorists.

London has also witnessed hostage takings. In 1975, a six-day stand-off occurred on Balcombe Street in the city’s West End. Armed members of the Irish Republican Army, responsible for a series of bombings across London over previous months, took a couple hostage in their flat as they were being pursued by police. The hostage taking ended peacefully with the surrender of the terrorists.

More famously, in 1980 a group of six armed attackers stormed the Iranian Embassy in London taking 26 people hostage. After six days, they killed a hostage, prompting the Thatcher government to deploy the Special Air Service (SAS). The team of crack soldiers was famously caught on television going in to end the siege.

A new template for terrorism
The November 2008 attacks in Mumbai and the Paris attacks in December 2015 created a new template for the police to address. In both cases, teams of heavily armed and roving attackers attempted to kill as many people as possible while causing mayhem in the centres of major cities. Metropolitan Police specialists have been preparing for such a possibility for years now. Although, thankfully, Saturday night’s attack didn’t involve terrorists with firearms, those skills served them well in quickly dealing with the London Bridge attackers.

In 2010, a major police training exercise, also involving members of the SAS, took place in London with the aim of dealing with a Mumbai-style attack. A UK government spokeswoman noted at the time:

The police regularly train and exercise for a variety of scenarios with a variety of partners. It is right that we learn the lessons from previous incidents and that these inform and strengthen such procedures.
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London terror attack: Gurdwaras in UK offer shelter to victims

Gurdwaras in London on Sunday opened their doors for the victims stranded after the terror attack in the city by offering them shelter and food, according to media reports.

Almost immediately after the attack was reported, Sikhs tweeted that their places of worship were opened for those caught up in the horrific ordeal.

In an incredible show of unity, Sikhs posted maps of nearby Gurdwaras that were open to help those in need in the early hours of the morning, the metro.Co.Uk reported.

"#Sikh Gurdwara in London are open to help & support those affected tonight with shelter & food #LondonBridge #United," GlasgowGurdwara tweeted.

Other Londoners have been using a new feature on Facebook to offer help to those stuck in London Bridge.

People have been offering food, shelter, clothing, and even blood donations for anyone caught up in the terror attacks.

Over 25,000 Sikhs are expected to congregate in Trafalgar Square in central London to remember the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The Sikh Federation UK said: "Having discussed arrangements for the Remembrance and Freedom event with the Metropolitan Police last night and this morning we have come to the mutual decision that the event today (Sunday 4 June) will continue."

"This sends a strong message to all terrorists that they will never stop us remembering the tens of thousands of Sikhs who lost their lives in 1984," it said.

"It will also be an opportunity to remember and to stand shoulder to shoulder with the innocents killed and injured in the last few weeks in Manchester and London," the Sikh Federation UK said.

Three knife-wielding attackers wearing fake suicide vests unleashed a terror rampage through central London, plowing a van into pedestrians on the iconic London Bridge and then running to a nearby market where they randomly stabbed multiple people, killing seven and injuring 48.

The three terrorists had been shot dead.
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Stop being politically correct, tweets Trump post London terror attack

United States President Donald Trump has called for ending political correctness in the wake of London terror attack that left seven persons dead and said that the world must get down to the business of security of people.

"We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. If we don't get smart it will only get worse," Trump tweeted.

Trump also slammed London Mayor Sadiq Khan for saying that there is "no reason to be alarmed!" after seven persons were killed and several others injured as three assailants ran over a crowd of people and stabbed several others before being shot dead.

Sadiq had earlier told the residents of London that there will be additional armed and unarmed police officers on the streets and assured the people that the city remains one of the safest in the world.

He added that there was no reason to be alarmed about an increased police presence on the streets of London.

Trump also focused on the weapons used in the attack by saying, "we are not having a gun debate right now? That's because they used knives and a truck!"

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UK Police arrests 12 suspects over Saturday night's London Bridge attack

The British Police has confirmed of arresting 12 persons in connection with the terror attacks at London Bridge and nearby areas that killed seven people and injured dozens others.

"Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command have this morning, Sunday 4 June, arrested 12 people in Barking, east London, in connection with last night's incidents in London Bridge and the Borough Market area. Searches of a number of addresses in Barking are continuing," London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

Earlier, condemning the brutal attacks at the London Bridge and nearby, British Prime Minister Theresa May has said that there is "far too much tolerance of extremism in our country".

She said that election will go ahead as planned on Thursday and the national campaigning will resume on Monday.

Asserting that the country is experiencing a new trend of brutal terror, May proposed to review counter-terrorism laws, and suggested longer sentences for some of the offences.

"We will come together and, united, we will take on our enemies, she says. And that's it. We'll post a full summary shortly," The Guardian quoted May as saying.

She said that when it comes to tackling terrorism things have to change.

Highlighting that this was the third terror attack Britain has experienced in three months, after the Westminster and the Manchester Arena attacks, May praised the efforts with which police responded to these terror attacks.

She said five credible attacks since the Westminster attack have been disrupted by the police.

She also outlined four important areas that need to be changed in wake of the new terror attack.

The four important ways which May said needs to be changed were:

Defeating the extreme Islamist ideology by maintenance of a counter-terrorism operation and by persuading people that 'pluralistic British values' are superior.
By not giving the terrorists safe space online for the plotting of terror attacks.
There must be action at home.
To review the counter-terrorism strategy, to ensure the police have the powers they need.
She also said the people need to be more vigilant in identifying and stamping out extremism across society.
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Terror visits the UK again: 6 killed in London attack, 3 suspects shot dead

At least six people were killed and several others injured on Saturday in two terrorist attacks at central London landmarks in which police shot dead three suspects.

The attack that took place at London Bridge and Borough Market comes just days ahead of the general election on June 8.

Like what happened during the March 22 UK Parliament attack, the attackers used their vehicle as an improvised weapon, using it to run over pedestrians.

The trail of terror

According to Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, they got reports that a van struck people on the London Bridge at 5.08 pm, on Saturday evening, reports CNN.

The van sped across London Bridge knocking over several pedestrians, according to an eyewitness. It was headed toward the London Bridge station, on the south bank of the river.

The vehicle continued to drive towards Borough Market, just south of the bridge, where three assailants got out and attempted to stab civilians in a restaurant, including a police officer.

Armed police were called to the scene and, within eight minutes, the three assailants were shot dead.

Rowley said the assailants were wearing what looked like explosive vests, which appeared to be fake upon further investigation.

"The incidents at London Bridge and Borough Market were declared as terrorist incidents," the Met Police tweeted, minutes after Prime Minister Theresa May said her government was treating the case as a "potential act of terrorism", reports Efe news.

Saturday night's "terrible incident" will be the focus of a meeting of the UK government's Cobra emergency committee, May's office said.

At least 20 people were taken to hospitals across London after the deadly incident, leaving the whole nation in shock as it still recovers from the Manchester arena suicide bombing nearly two weeks ago.

The Met said that a third incident, in the Vauxhall area, was determined to have no connection to what happened at the two other locations.
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London Bridge terror attack: 20 people injured as van hits pedestrians

In what Prime Minister Theresa May termed a "potential act of terror", about 20 people were injured as a van reportedly ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge late Saturday evening. There also were unconfirmed reports of gunfire and stabbing, according to the British media.

The vehicle is reported to have mounted the pavement at the scene, Mirror reported on its website.

"We are dealing with an incident on London Bridge, when we have more information we will update this twitter feed," the Metropolitan police said on its Twitter handle.

Press Trust of India reported that Scotland Yard armed officers had moved into London Bridge area after reports of the incident.

Several people are believed to be injured in what is feared to be a terror attack that took place last evening.

"We are dealing with an incident on #LondonBridge, when we have more information we will update," Metropolitan Police said on Twitter.

Hackney Police said on its Twitter handle: "If you have any footage from tonight, please DON'T share on social media. Upload to us."

Transport for London said the police had closed London Bridge and the area around it due to a major police incident, Xinhua reported.
"London Bridge: The station is closed and trains are non stopping at the request of the police," it said.

According to an eyewitness: "There was a white van driver speeding into several people. It carried on across the pavement around the traffic and towards the Shard area."

Some netizens who had witnessed the incident tweeted that they saw people got injured and the police came to deal with it.
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'We need the travel ban': Donald Trump says after London terror attack

US President Donald Trump has underscored his controversial travel ban on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries in view of today's terror attacks in central London in which six people were killed and 20 others injured.

"We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!" Trump said in a tweet yesterday.


We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017

Trump also retweeted a tweet from Drudge Report which said that there were fears of new terror attack after a van ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge in a terror attack followed by stabbing incidents in the area.

At least six people were killed and 20 others injured today in two terror attacks at central London landmarks in which police shot dead three suspects.

The attack that took place at London Bridge and Borough Market came just days ahead of the general election on June 8.

"Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the UK, we will be there - we are with you. God bless!" Trump said.

Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there - WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert in a statement condemned "the cowardly attacks" targeting innocent civilians in London.'
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