LONDON: Daesh has claimed responsibility for a knife attack that injured three people on Sunday in Streatham, south London.
“The perpetrator of the attack in Streatham district in south London yesterday is a fighter of Islamic State (Daesh), and carried out the attack in response to calls to attack the citizens of coalition countries,” said a statement carried by Amaq, a news outlet linked to the group. No evidence was provided to support the claim.
This incident echoes a November 2019 terror attack in London, also claimed by Daesh, in which three people were killed.
Sunday’s attacker, Sudesh Amman, 20, was shot dead by police at the scene. Police say he was wearing a hoax suicide vest.
Amman was under police surveillance and living in a hostel following his release from prison less than two weeks earlier. He had served half of a three-year sentence for terror offenses.
FASTFACT
Sunday’s attacker, Sudesh Amman, 20, was shot dead by police at the scene. Police say he was wearing a hoax suicide vest. Amman was under police surveillance and living in a hostel following his release from prison
Sunday’s attack has prompted concern over the effectiveness of sentencing for terror offenses, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson swiftly announcing “fundamental changes” to the system.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said the attack “makes the case plainly for immediate action.”
He announced “emergency legislation to ensure an end to terrorist offenders getting released automatically having served half of their sentence with no check or review.” The legislation will also apply to serving prisoners, he said.
Amman’s mother said she is “disgusted” by her son’s actions, and he was a “nice and polite boy” who was “always smiling.” She believes he was radicalized in prison and online.
