THE MAYOR of London, Sadiq Khan, has released a statement on yesterday's stabbing attack, promising that terrorists will never succeed in dividing Londoners or destroying their way of life.
Convicted terrorist Sudesh Amman, who was recently released from prison, stabbed several people in Streatham, South London on Saturday before he was shot and killed by police.
Amman had served just half of a three-year-sentence for terror offences.
Speaking on London's newest terror incident, which holds haunting similarities with the London Bridge stabbing in November which left two people dead, Mr Khan said:
"A man has been shot dead by armed police in Streatham following an incident that is being treated as terrorism-related. A number of people are believed to have been stabbed.
"I am in close contact with the Met Commissioner and local representatives, and want to thank our police, security and emergency services staff for their swift and courageous response.
They truly are the best of us," he said.
"Terrorists seek to divide us and to destroy our way of life- here in London we will never let them succeed," he continued.
The Mayor went on to urge anyone with information to contact police by calling 101.
My statement on today's incident in #Streatham: pic.twitter.com/sDsJlVcyNq
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) February 2, 2020
Earlier today, Mr Khan spoke to BBC RADIO 4's Today Programme where he expressed his anger that the convicted terrorist had been released from prison early, particularly after it had been revealed that the London Bridge attacker had also been granted early release despite having been convicted of terrorism offences.
Both of these terrorist attacks were "both foreseeable and preventable", Mr Khan said.
"These were men convicted of terrorist related offences and I have been frustrated for some time about changes to the law in 2012 which took away from judges the power they used to have to give a sentence to protect the public - an indeterminate sentence - and to make sure people weren't released unless we knew they were no longer a danger."
"I'm angry because some of the reassurances we were given by the government in November haven't been realised."
