Prime Minister Theresa May addressed the UK Parliament Thursday, less than 24 hours after a terror attack that killed five, and injured dozens of others.
Police conducted an overnight raid, searching 6 homes and making 8 arrests in relation to the attack, which she said is believed to be an isolated incident.
While the terrorist’s name was not released, she said his identity is known to police and MI5.
“What I can confirm is the man was British born and that some years ago he was once investigated by MI5 in relation to concerns about violent extremism. He was a peripheral figure. The case is historic. He is not part of the current intelligence picture,” she said, adding that there was “no prior intelligence about his intent or the plot.”
She also confirmed the attacker was motivated by “Islamist ideology” but that the country’s terror threat level will not be raised from “severe” because there’s no intelligence another threat is imminent.
She urged Britons to stay strong after the attack.
“An act of terrorism tried to silence our democracy, but today we meet as normal … we are not afraid and our resolve will never waver in the face of terrorism,” she said.
“Democracy and the values it entails will always prevail.”