On Streatham High Road in London, a terrorist stabbed two pedestrians — and then was shot by police. There were armed police right there, on the scene? Why, yes, there were:
Press reports quickly identified the stabber as Sudesh Amman, a 20-year-old whose radical beliefs were well-known to authorities. Amman had been imprisoned for terror-related offenses and was slated to serve three years. But he was released early in late January after doing only about half that time behind bars.
According to the Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) of the Metropolitan Police Service Lucy D’Orsi, Amman was being followed on foot by armed officers as “part of a proactive counter-terrorism surveillance operation.”
The counter-terrorism detail quickly shot him dead after he started stabbing at civilians at around 2pm in the afternoon London time.
DAC D’Orsi explained that Amman had been imprisoned for “Islamist-related terrorism offenses.” He was wearing a “hoax device” that was evidently intended to confuse authorities and others.
But the security detail called in “specialist explosives officers and additional armed officers to deal with the potential threat that” the device posed. They quickly determined it was a fake explosive device.
Three people were hospitalized as a result of the attack, two of whom Amman assaulted and a third was wounded “by glass following the discharge of the police firearm,” according to DAC D’Orsi.
Earlier today, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the stabbings, describing Amman as one of its fighters.
Pretty much how the US handles Urban Crime. Just the brits call it terrorism while the US calls it gangs, poverty, or drugs. In either case, revolving door.
How good of those nice armed officers to be following just the right person at just the right time.
Clearly there is a yuge terrorism problem and the counter-terrorists should get a sizable budget increase next fiscal year.
The people of London need their proactive protection.