Donald Trump calls Theresa May to ‘condemn’ Parliament terror atrocity and vows to help ‘bring attackers to justice’
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has called the British Prime Minister to "condemn" Parliament terror atrocity and vows to help "bring attackers to justice".
Tweeting about the conversation between the leaders, the US leader said he had offered his condolences to Theresa May, who he said was "strong and doing very well".
Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, confirmed the pair had spoken, saying: "We obviously condemn that attack in Westminster which the United Kingdom is treating as an act of terrorism and we applaud the quick response that the British police and first responders made to the situation.
"The victims in this are in our thoughts and prayers.
"The city of London and Her Majesty’s Government have the full support of the US government in responding to the attack and bringing those to justice who are responsible."
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson added: “We condemn these horrific acts of violence, and whether they were carried out by troubled individuals or by terrorists, the victims know no difference."
Earlier the President's son slammed the Mayor of London for saying ‘terror is part of living in a major city’.
Donald Trump Jnr, tweeted a link to a story from the about comments made by London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, in September.
Mr Khan said he believes the threat of terror attacks are "part and parcel of living in a big city".
He added: "That means being vigilant, having a police force that is in touch with communities, it means the security services being ready, but it also means exchanging ideas and best practice."
Trump Jnr tweeted a link to the story adding: "You have to be kidding me?!"
Earlier when entering a meeting in the White House's Roosevelt Room, Trump said the attack in London was "big news".
The US President "has been briefed on the situation" in London and is monitoring events, his press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted.
Mr Spicer also added that the President had also spoken to British Prime Minister, Theresa May, about the attacks.
The US State Department says it is closely monitoring the incident and urged Americans in London to avoid the area.
Spokesman Mark Toner said: "We stand ready to assist in any way the UK authorities would find helpful."
He added that the US Embassy in London is closely following the news and stands ready to help any affected Americans.
He said: "Our hearts go out to those affected."
Armed police shot a suspected attacker outside the Houses of Parliament this afternoon after an officer was stabbed in what police said was a "terrorist" incident.
The building was immediately sealed off and MPs and staff ordered to remain inside.
Witnesses also said a car mowed down a dozen pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing into the gates outside Parliament.
One woman has died, the Press Association reported, quoting a doctor. Other people are being treated for "catastrophic" injuries.
An announcement made in Parliament said there was a suspicious package in a vehicle and the bomb squad had been called which halted a planned evacuation.
David Lidington, the leader of parliament's lower House of Commons who is responsible for arranging government business, told MPs: "What I am able to say to the house is there has been a serious incident.
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"It seems that a police officer has been stabbed, that the alleged assailant was shot by armed police.
"There are also reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity of the Palace of Westminster," he said.
He said he could not go into further details until there was confirmation from the police and security authorities.
Prime Minister Theresa May is safe, a statement from her Downing Street office said, and she was seen getting into a car and being driven away from parliament.
Lidington said an air ambulance was at the scene to take away casualties.
TV pictures showed traffic halted on the nearby Westminster Bridge and emergency vehicles swarming around. The busy bridge was completely shut off to traffic.
Armed police swarmed to the area which was quickly sealed off to the public.
Poland's former foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, says he was in a taxi leaving Westminster and was checking his email when he heard something like a car crash, "something like a car hitting metal sheet."
"I look up and I see that a person is lying on the pavement. I started my camera and I saw more people lying on the street and on the pavement," Sikorski said on Poland's TVN24.
"People started running up to them. I saw one person who gave no sign of life, another man was bleeding from his head.
"In all, I saw five people who were at least seriously injured," he said.
The incident came on the same day that Belgium was marking a year since its most deadly attack, when 32 people were killed in suicide bombings at Brussels Airport and a metro station.
In July 2005, four British suicide bombers inspired by Al-Qaeda attacked London's transport system during rush hour, killing 52 people.
Two weeks later, there was an attempt to carry out a second wave of attacks.
A spokesman for the House of Commons told AFP: "We can confirm that the sitting has been suspended in the Commons at the moment. We are aware of a security incident that has taken place."
London's Metropolitan Police said on Twitter: "We were called at approx 2:40 pm to reports of an incident at Westminster Bridge. Being treated as a firearms incident - police on the scene.
WAS IT A 'LONE WOLF ATTACK'?
The mowing down of pedestrian on Westminster Bridge and then the stabbing of a police officer guarding the Houses of Parliament could be the work of a lone wolf, a security expert said.
Will Geddes, CEO of ICP Group said the two incidents are highly likely to be terrorist related but it was unclear if they are connected.
He added lone wolf attackers are always a challenge to prevent.
Mr Geddes said: "There have been two incidents and it is not clear if they are connected.
"The first is that someone has stabbed a police officer, he was then shot by another police officer.
"There are unconfirmed reports that he is dead.
"The second incident is that a number of people, around four or five, have been injured on Westminster bridge by a car.
"It could be a lone wolf attack.
"I would say at the moment it's looking very likely to be a terrorist attack, whether it is a lone wolf or a group attack is not known."
"Officers -- including firearms officers -- are on scene and dealing with the incident."
A staff member in parliament, who did not want to be named, told AFP: "I definitely heard shots. I saw someone in dark clothing go down."
Westminster station on the London Underground train network, which is opposite the Houses of Parliament, was closed over to the incident.