London: Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to crack down on crime after two people were killed in an attack in the UK capital.
Usman Khan, 28, was shot dead by police after stabbing several people in London Bridge at around 2:00 p.m. (GMT) on Friday. He was released from prison in December 2018 after serving half of a 16-year sentence for planning to plant a bomb at the London Stock Exchange, Efe news reported.
“It does not make sense for us as a society to be putting people convicted of terrorist offences, of serious violent offences, out on early release,” Conservative leader Johnson said during a visit to London Bridge on Saturday.
Johnson, who is leading the polls for the general elections slated for December 12, added that the Conservative Party manifesto says his government would issue tougher sentences for serious and violent crimes.
“It is a mistake to allow serious and violent criminals to come out of prison early and it is very important that we get out of that habit and that we enforce appropriate sentences for dangerous criminals, especially for terrorists,” the PM said on Friday ahead of an emergency meeting with the government’s Cobra committee.
Johnson reiterated his view when visiting the scene of the attack.
“Obviously, it’s early days and there are a lot of investigations that need to be done.
“He was out on automatic early release and I have long said that this system simply isn’t working,” the prime minister added.
Johnson commended the rapid response of the police, who shot down the attacker five minutes after receiving the alert that a stabbing spree was taking place.
At the time of the attack, Khan had participated in a conference organised by the University of Cambridge on the reintegration of prisoners, in a building on the north end of London Bridge.
British media have revealed the men, who challenged Khan, were former offenders who had also been involved in the conference on reintegration, as well as a Polish-born chef. (IANS)
