LONDON, March 23 - The Islamic State today claimed responsibility for a brazen terror attack on the UK Parliament that killed four people, including the British-born attacker who was known to British secret services, even as eight people were arrested in raids across London and Birmingham.
Three people were killed and 40 injured when the attacker yesterday mowed down pedestrians on a bridge and stabbed to death a police officer outside parliament complex in the heart of Westminster before being shot dead by Scotland Yard.
Prime Minister Theresa May said the attacker was British born and he was once investigated in relation to concerns about violent extremism few years ago.
�We are not afraid...An act of terrorism tried to silence our democracy, but today we meet as normal,� May told sombre-looking lawmakers in the packed House of Commons which reopened today with a minute�s silence a day after the attack.
�It is still believed that this attacker acted alone, and the police have no reason to believe there are imminent further attacks on the public. His identity is known to the police and MI5, and when operational considerations allow, he will be publicly identified. Our working assumption is that the attacker was inspired by Islamist ideology,� May said.
Soon after her speech, the ISIS on its propaganda news agency �Amaq� claimed responsibility, saying a �Soldier of the Caliphate� carried out the attack on the British Parliament.
�The operation was carried out in response to calls to target coalition countries,� it said in a statement. � PTI
