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London Attack an Anti-Islam Reprisal?

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London police are investigating another deadly attack after a man driving a van crashed into a crowd of Muslim people. 

A man died and ten 10 other people were injured in the attack, which police are treating as a terrorist attack.

The suspect has been named as, 47-year-old Darren Osborne, a father of four who is well known by locals.

One woman, who did not wish to be named, told a British newspaper that: "We all know Darren, from our youth generally.  When I heard what happened it absolutely made me feel ill. You don't imagine this."

Eyewitnesses say the driver turned down a one-way street and accelerated as Muslims were leaving an evening prayer service at Finsbury Park mosque in north London.

"In the beginning, he was saying, 'Where's Muslims...I want to kill all Muslims,'" one witness recounted.

Another witness said he believed this was a well thought out attack. 

"Whatever happened, it was done in a very vindictive way," he said. "It wasn't an accident. It wasn't that the person was drunk and the car...the van went out of control."

Bystanders wrestled the driver out of the van and held him down until police arrived. 

Officers have arrested the 47-year-old man and taken him to the hospital as a precaution.

"No matter what the motivation for this attack proves to be, we are keeping an open mind," Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said. "This is being treated as a terrorist attack and the counter-terrorism command is investigating. This was an attack on London and all Londoners and we should all stand together against extremists, whatever their cause."

CBN News reporters Charlene Aaron and George Thomas discuss the latest on the Finsbury Park Mosque attack in London.

British Prime Minister Theresa May visited London's Finsbury Park Mosque and met with members of the community.

"The terrible terrorist attack that took place last night was an evil act born out of hatred and it has devastated a community," May told community leaders. "I am pleased to have been here today to see the strength of that community, coming together, all faiths, united in one desire, to see extremism and hatred of all sorts driven out of our society."

Meanwhile, the imam of Finsbury Park mosque is being hailed as a hero.

Moments after the driver was captured, Mohammed Mahmoud and others intervened to keep him from being attacked by people enraged by his actions.

"We found a group of people quickly started to collect around him, around the assailant and some tried to hit him, either kicks or punches," Imam Mahmoud told reporters this morning outside the mosque. "By God's grace, we managed to surround him and to protect him from any harm. We stopped all forms of attack and abuse towards him that was coming to him from all angles."

London is no stranger to tragedy. 

Just last week, a deadly fire took the lives of nearly 80 people in North Kensington. 

The blaze quickly rose through the 24-story Grenfell Tower, taking up to 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters to put it out.

Firefighters combed through the remains of the charred rubble looking for survivors.

Authorities presume that at least 79 people are now dead or missing.

Earlier this month on London Bridge, attackers used a vehicle and then knives to kill eight people and wound many others on the bridge and in the nearby Borough Market area. 

London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, said he has "zero tolerance" towards hate crimes.
 
"The attack on Westminster bridge, the attack on London Bridge, the attack in Manchester, the attack last night -- all of these are attacks on our shared values of our freedom, of tolerance and of respect, and terrorism is terrorism whether someone is inspired by an Islamist narrative or other forms of 'inspiration,'" he said.

"Look, of course we're grieving," he continued. "We're grieving for those victims of terror but also for the Grenfell Tower victims."

The attack on London Bridge killed seven people and injured 48.

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