Terror strikes at UK parliament

An attacker drove a car along the palace of Westminster in London, the heart of British Democracy, killing 5 people and injuring 40. Among the injured include 5 Korean tourists watching the Big Ben and the palace on Westminster Bridge. The London terror attack took place at the first anniversary of the Brussels bombings, which killed 32 people and left 320 injured, and this shocked and scared the entire Europe.

The attack unfolded at about 2:40 P.M. (local time) on Wednesday on Westminster Bridge, near the House of Parliament, one of the main tourist attractions in London. A suspect man in his 40s drove a Hyundai i40 along a pavement over the bridge and hit the crowd one after another. The scene of the attack turned into hell as Londoners and visitors of all nationalities tried to avoid the car drove into them. Two people who were hit by the car died at the scene and a casualty taken to St. Thomas Hospital was dead as well.

After he rammed his car into the railing below the Big Ben, the suspect got out of his car with two deadly weapons in his hands and ran to police officers who were guarding the palace. A policeman named PC Keith Palmer (48) was stabbed several times and died on the spot. He was unarmed at the time of attack. After Palmer was fallen, the attacker again rushed into other police officers nearby and shot to death.

At the scene were 23 Korean tourists in groups watching the Big Ben at the pavement on the bridge. Mrs. Park (67) was severely hurt due to a bad fall and 4 others injured while evacuating the scene at the sudden rush of the car. Mrs. Park was transferred to St. Mary’s Hospital and was waiting for a surgery. Also, French students, British college students, and Romanian tourists were injured.

The British authority said that the suspect was inspired by international and Islamist-related terrorism, but gave no further details. A possibility was raised that the Islamic State (IS) is responsible for the terror attack based on the terrorist attack that drove a vehicle into civilians. A suspect in his 40s with beard and dark skin was seen being carried off on a stretcher.

Dong-Joo Cho djc@donga.com · Jung-Min Dong ditto@donga.com