Xi offers condolences to British monarch after fatal terror attack

Police officers salute during a minute's silence outside New Scotland Yard the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017.  [Photo/Agencies]

China’s president condemns London attack and says terrorism is a common enemy

President Xi Jinping sent his condolences on Thursday to Queen Elizabeth II following Wednesday’s terror attack in London that left four people dead, including the assailant.

In his message, the president strongly condemned the attack, which targeted Britons and foreign nationals alike, and offered his profound condolences and sincere sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who were killed or injured.

Xi said terrorism was the common enemy of the international community, and noted that China was firmly opposed to it, in all its forms.

British police named the attacker as KahlidMasood, 52, who was originally from the southeast of England but who had been living in Birmingham. They said he had a string of criminal convictions that started in 1983 and continued to 2003, ranging from criminal damage to assault, but that he did not have convictions related to terrorism. British Prime Minister Theresa May said Masood, who was born in Britain, had been investigated for his extremism by British security services but was regarded as a peripheral figure who showed no signs of wanting to carry out attacks.

May, who was rushed to safety from the House of Commons as the attack unfolded, had earlier told Parliament that the incident on Wednesday was an attack on free people everywhere, and she thanked friends around the world whohad stood with the UK.

British police made eight arrests on Thursday in connection with the attack, during raids on six locations in London and Britain’s second-biggest city, Birmingham.

Masood was fatally shot after he drove his car at pedestrians and then stabbed a police officer to death as he tried to enter Parliament.

The Islamic State group said on Thursday the attack was carried out by one of its “soldiers”, although there was no indication it knew Masood’s identity.

The IS-linked Aamaq news agency said on Thursday the attacker “carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting citizens of the coalition”, referring to the group of countries fighting IS.

Meanwhile, Premier Li Keqiang, who is on a trip to Australia, said on Thursday he had sent his condolences to Prime Minister May, expressing a strong condemnation of the attack.

Michael Fallon, the UK defense minister, told the BBC the attacker was believed to have been an Islamist extremist, but the investigation was continuing. He said Parliament and all aspects of life in London were continuing as normal on Thursday.