The Malta Independent 19 April 2024, Friday
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Update (2): Police find body in Thames River during search for French man; likely to be 8th victim

Associated Press Wednesday, 7 June 2017, 09:56 Last update: about 8 years ago

Police find body in Thames River during search for Xavier Thomas of France, who would be 8th London Bridge victim. 

London police early Wednesday arrested a 30-year-old man in east London in connection to the lethal attack on London Bridge and are searching his home.

Two men are now in custody on suspicion of violating the Terrorism Act. They have not been identified or charged. All others who had been arrested have been released without facing charges.

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London officials said a large part of the outer cordon of the crime scene had reopened. Borough Market, a popular gathering place, remains closed as more evidence is gathered.

The attack, and prior attacks in Manchester and near Parliament in London, have prompted Prime Minister Theresa May to call for tougher counter-terrorism laws even if it means changing human rights protections.

Reaction to the attack has dominated the final days of campaigning before Thursday's general election, with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and others criticizing May for cutting police numbers by roughly 20,000 during her tenure as home secretary.

Seven people were killed and nearly 50 others were wounded in the Saturday night rampage. The attackers first drove a rented van into a crowd and then jumped out and randomly stabbed people they encountered.

Police killed all three attackers.

At least two of the men were known to British intelligence and law enforcement officials, raising questions about whether anything could have been done to prevent the assault.

Police have named the attackers as Khurum Butt, 27, who had been known for his extremist views; 30-year-old Rachid Redouane, also known as Rachid Elkhdar; and Youssef Zaghba, a 22-year-old Italian national of Moroccan descent who was reportedly working in a London restaurant.

Italian authorities said Zaghba had been stopped and questioned in Italy but had not been charged with any crime. Italian officials said suspicions about him had been shared with British authorities.



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