Mayor Khan. Photo: London.gov.uk
Mayor Condemns “perverse ideology”
Today Londoners gathered at London Bridge for a vigil in honor of those who died in the attack on London Bridge by marauding terrorists last Saturday night.
The vigil was led by London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, who spoke of his Muslim faith, saying: “You do not commit these disgusting acts in my name. Your perverse ideology has nothing to do with the values of Islam.” The crowd applauded. The mayor thanked the “brave Londoners” who risked their lives to save others. “You are the best of us,” he said.
The barbaric attack was carried out by 3 men who drove a white van onto pedestrians, killing and maiming them. The men then jumped out of their rented van and began stabbing anyone in their path, with 7 inch knives, screaming that they were doing it for Allah. 7 innocent people lost their lives with many revelers still being treated for their injuries. The Islamic State militant group has claimed that its fighters carried out the attack.
It truly is inconceivable that one should go on an evening out and end up in a morgue, leaving behind families and loved ones in unimaginable pain and sorrow. It is unfathomable that any human being could have such hate in their hearts as to deliberately end the life of another.
The three men were shot dead by officers outside a pub in the vicinity after police opened fire with an unrivalled torrent of 50 bullets. Unfortunately, a bystander was also shot and wounded. It has been reported that officers knew the identity of one of the men who carried out the attack, Khuram Shazad Butt of Barking, East London. He is thought to be the ringleader of the trio who brought carnage to the streets, pubs and bars in Borough Market, close to London Bridge.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said Butt was known to police and MI5 but said there had been no evidence of “attack planning” and he had been deemed as a “low priority.” Scotland Yard said seven women and five men aged between 19 and 60 were arrested under the Terrorism Act in Barking on Sunday. A 55-year-old man was later released without charge.
The Metropolitan Police also said officers entered properties in Newham and Barking at 4.15am on Monday and “a number” of people had been detained. Searches were continuing at both addresses, police added. Raids and Investigations in the East End of London are still on going, and unfortunately attacks and suspicions against peace loving Moslems too.
The majority of us can distinguish between hate organizations founded by Christians and Christianity and yet cannot get our heads around the fact that extremism perpetuated by some misguided individuals in the name of Allah has nothing to do with the peaceful religion that is Islam.
Carnage on our streets is now the reality that we have to live with, as these fundamentalists seek to murder us in cold blood. If you are a Moslem however, you have to live with much more. Fear of being attacked because of your faith.
Doctor Karim Ahmad, an A & E consultant at The Royal London Hospital has spoken out in praise of the Muslim members of his team who worked to save victims of the London terror attack. He urged members of the public to think of Muslims as the hundreds of doctors, nurses and receptionists who responded to the emergency by working through the night, and not the extremists who carried out the attack.
Doris Allimadi is a U.K.-based writer and book author.
