“We are not afraid,” said British Prime Minister Theresa May in her address to the House of Commons. (Getty Images)

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We Will Never Waver In The Face Of Terrorism, Says British Prime Minister Theresa May

BySwarajya Staff

Published:23rd Mar, 2017 at 7:33 PM

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s address today (23 March) to the House of Commons was one of incredible strength and determination in the face of adversity.

“We are not afraid,” she said in reference to the terrorist attack yesterday outside the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK). “And our resolve will never waver in the face of terrorism.”

A terrorist came to the place where people of all nationalities and cultures gather to celebrate what it means to be free. And he took out his rage indiscriminately against innocent men, women and children.

After describing the details of the attack, May addressed the tragic incident of the death of 48-year-old Pc Keith Palmer. He had served as a member of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command for 15 years, prior to which he was a soldier in the Royal Artillery. May said about him,

He was a husband and a father, killed doing a job he loved. He was every inch a hero. And his actions will never be forgotten.

May said the threat level to the UK had been set at “severe” - level just before the highest, “critical” - indicating that an attack is highly likely. "A full counter-terrorism investigation” was under way, she said.

The Prime Minister said the belief, for now, is that the attacker acted alone. (Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the claim is yet to be verified.) About his identity, she said he was known to the police and security agency MI5 from before but there was no “prior intelligence of his intent - or the plot”.

What I can confirm is that the man was British-born and that - some years ago - he was once investigated in relation to concerns about violent extremism. He was a peripheral figure.

She said the assumption for now was that the attacker was inspired by Islamist ideology, adding that while the “threat from Islamist terrorism is very real,” people “should not - and will not - be cowed down by this threat.”

Here is May’s statement in full, along with a video of her address.