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Three Killed, 40 Wounded in London Terror Attack; Attacker was British-Born, Known to Police and MI5; Republicans Scramble for Health Care Bill; Sunken Sewol Ferry Raised, Three Years After Tragedy
Aired March 25, 2017 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN HOST: -- to News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong.
MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: And I'm Max Foster in London. The British capital is in mourning but it remains defiant following Wednesday's terror attack.
In the last hour, the Prime Minister Theresa May has addressed parliament confirming that the attacker was known to authorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: His identity is known to the police and MI5, and when operational considerations allow, he will be publicly
identified. What I can confirm is that 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Police have made eight arrests as they investigate the attack. That's following raids around the country. They've told us they believe
the assailant was working alone.
A moment of silence was held at Scotland Yard and inside the British parliament to honor those killed. Three people lost their lives, including
a Spanish citizen and a police officer.
People from 11 different nations were injured. And this evening the mayor of London is to host a candlelight vigil for all the victims. And we just
had a statement from the queen as well. "My thoughts and prayers and deepest sympathy are with all of those who have been affected by
yesterday's awful violence. I know I speak for everyone in expressing my enduring thanks and admiration for the members of the Metropolitan Police
Service and all who work so selflessly to work and protect others."
One of those raids was in the city of Birmingham, which is in the English midlands. Nic Robertson is in that city with more. Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, police are still inside the premises. In the middle of the night here, armed police
raided the building behind me. They used a battering ram to get in through the door. Three men were arrested and taken away. That whole operation
lasted about an hour, hour and a half according to witnesses here.
In the last few minutes, we've just seen what appears to be a police forensic photographer with a large bag of photographic equipment go into
the building. It still appears that this is -- this is being treated as one of the many crime scenes here. We know that the police have raided six
different premises. They say they arrested eight people so far.
We're not expecting a statement here from the police in the near-term, however, the information that's being made clear by other officials, by
Theresa May, a British-born -- saying British-born attacker, what we've learned from the police believe that he is inspired by Islamist ideology, a
lone attacker.
Also we're hearing from MI5, the director general there, Andrew Parker, saying that all his officers are fully mobilized. So, in terms of the
investigation, the police have outlined something that will take a period of time. The forensic search, of course, at the crime scene itself and
then the investigations, all the premises there that they are going to as a course of their inquiry is what they say that they are looking into with
this suspect, they are looking into his associates, his motivation and what preparations he will have made in getting ready for his attack, Max.
FOSTER: He was a part of a plot, that's what the prime minister said. So why are they investigating all of his contacts and looking into that deep
background?
ROBERTSON: It's really not clear at this stage, Max. Obviously, with inquiries of this nature, people are arrested in the early stages. They're
questioned and then released when it's discovered that whatever connection they have is it's not involved with the particular case.
But as we saw in the statement from Theresa May, the attacker himself was questioned by MI5 years ago and on the periphery of another -- another
event that they were -- that they were investigating.
So I think that's -- you know, that is what we're going to see the police do here. They're going to go to that first level of contacts and -- and
see what avenues they can find and pursue from there. While police say that they believe that he was acting alone, that they're not suspecting him
of being part of a wider organized series of attacks, there's still obviously a lot to learn, and that's the stage the police are at.
I think some -- to some degree what they're saying is, if you will, not to calm people but to reassure them that they're putting extra police officers
on the streets, armed and unarmed police officers. You know, MI5 saying that they are fully mobilized. There's an effort to reassure people.
But behind the scenes, obviously, they cannot rule out. There may be others, and this man may lead to other people who they should be worried
about, Max.
[00:05:10] FOSTER: He's inspired by Islamist terror, we're told. We don't think ISIS has claimed it yet, I think I'm right in saying. But presumably
they need to track back to see how he was inspired so then they can work out whether or not others were inspired by the same route.
ROBERTSON: That's going to be a concern. Obviously, looking at his social media, looking at what he's done on the internet, looking at who he's
communicated with, where those people have been.
One of the significant things we heard the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson say yesterday in his conference with a significant number of
foreign ministers all in an effort to tackle ISIS. He said there is a 90 percent reduction in the number of foreign fighters going to Iraq and
Syria.
And, of course, what ISIS has done is switched their -- switched their call for people to come and join the fight there and saying that if you're
motivated and do be motivated by our ideology, stay at home and attack there. Attack with a gun, if you can, if not with a knife and if not that
then a vehicle.
So their ideology is now not -- is to -- is to motivate people but not motivate them to join the fight in Iraq and Syria, and this goes to the
crux of what Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State was saying that it means that there's a greater, therefore, potential threat in the countries
that these young men were coming from before. We heard the prime minister say he was British-born. We know that several hundreds of British-born
individuals have gone to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Now the implication is that if they -- if they want to involve themselves in terror attacks,
they may do it at home, Max.
FOSTER: OK. Nic in Birmingham, thank you.
One of the victims of the attack has been identified as 43-year-old Aysha Frade, a Spanish teacher. Her relatives live in the Spanish town of
Betanzos.
And the mayor has released a statement saying, "We're totally overwhelmed by the news and we send our condolences to the people of London."
Let's get more on the investigation from Nina Dos Santos who's outside Scotland Yard for us.
You know, we had that investigation in Birmingham, but it's being led by Scotland Yard and the Metropolitan police. And they seem to be winding
things down, but they put hundreds of officers on it still.
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN EUROPE EDITOR: That's right. They've even gone as far as canceling some people's vacations, Max, to try and make sure that
they have the maximum amount of manpower to devote to this particular case, both to the investigation, but also to this great big operation of
reassurance that we're seeing on the streets of London.
You can probably see behind me. We've got a lot of uniformed officers who are unarmed, but we've got a lot of armed officers also on the streets with
some significant weaponry as well. The types of things that we saw during that attack. One of those armed officers brought down the attacker within
the perimeter of parliament.
Now, while we're just focusing in on Westminster Bridge, you did mention there the name of that victim, Aysha Frade, 43-year-old teacher from Spain,
who apparently had lived in London for several years. She tragically lost her life on Westminster Bridge as she was mowed down by that car.
Now, the last person who hasn't yet been identified among the innocent victims here of this attack yesterday afternoon is a 50-year-old man who
apparently also perished, thanks to the injuries that he incurred upon that bridge. We're waiting for any news on his nationality and identity.
The real big question everybody has this hour, of course, is what is the identity of the attacker? You heard very clearly from Theresa May
addressing parliament about an hour and a half ago that it is clear -- it is clear to the police, it is clear to MI5 who this individual is. He is
apparently well known to them, but they haven't decided to publicly name this individual yet.
Perhaps as Nic was also mentioning before, that might have something to do with trying to figure out who this person was in contact with, lest other
people have managed to gain access to similar violent extremist ideologies that could cause them to try and do any kind of copycat attacks.
For the moment, when it comes to the severity of the level security threat level that this country is under, Theresa May was very clear to say they're
keeping it at the current severe level but not escalating up -- it up to one to critical, that's largely because they don't have any specific
information for the attack from here is set to take place.
I should go back to this individual in question. Theresa May did say that although he had crossed parts with MI5-before and been investigated for
violent extremist activity, he was very much, he said, a peripheral figure and not part of today's current picture.
[00:09:58] So a lot of this will raise questions very quickly about what this -- what MI5, what the security services, what the police knew about
this particular individual, did he have links with anybody else. They'll be pouring through all of his digital footprints and physical footprints as
well as the vehicle that obviously crashed into the perimeter of parliament over there. And he will have left, presumably, DNA and forensic evidence
inside that vehicle.
All of that, they'll be piecing together with witness statements, CCTV and also cell phone footage from people who are here.
In the meantime, a lot of tourists are coming back into the area. Westminster is gradually starting to open up, but as I said with various
crime scenes behind us, one on the bridge itself, one along the fence, railings, a perimeter of parliament where that car crashed and one at the
gates of parliament. Obviously, this behind me is no-go area for now, Max.
FOSTER: OK, Nina, thank you.
Same goes for the area behind me, although people are being allowed to get out of parliament, of course, because they tried to get things going there
as quickly as possible. The British prime minister, Theresa May making a statement before the House of Commons just a short while ago.
Earlier, parliament held a moment of silence as well before getting back to work. MP Daniel Kawczynski is with me now. Just describe the atmosphere
in the chamber today.
DANIEL KAWCZYNSKI, BRITISH MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: One of absolutely resolve and determination that things carry on as always. I've actually just been
to -- just down the road to the Cinnamon Club where I've been hosting senior representatives of the Polish government to talk about bilateral
trade agreements with Poland in the post-Brexit world.
We want to show the world, and our own citizens, that despite this attack we are back at work as normal.
FOSTER: And a Pol was injured, of course, as a result of what happened yesterday. This sense of defiance that the prime minister is really
expressing today which is we've got to get back to normal and she was in parliament yesterday, wasn't she, got bundled out, but was back in with her
talk today. She's a great expert in these matters having been home secretary for so long.
Is there anything we could have learned in terms of the response from what you've seen over the last 12 hours or so?
KAWCZYNSKI: Well, she's been a very successful home secretary. I think the longest serving home secretary for over 200 years. I'm very pleased
that we have somebody of that level of experience to take us through this crisis. But, you know, I would say that the security has worked very well.
The person only managed to get in a few feet into the House of Commons before he was stopped. And, of course, I, along with everybody else, want
to pay tribute to the police officer who was shot.
FOSTER: Parliament -- he didn't get into the House of Commons.
KAWCZYNSKI: Into the yards, yes.
FOSTER: But for many people that's frightening anyway, particularly the simplicity of the attack, but I guess that's what we're dealing with now,
right? It's not going to be a bomb or a gun necessarily. It's going to be a vehicle or a knife.
KAWCZYNSKI: Well, we have to adapt ourselves to all the different ways in which people want to create this sort of level of carnage and trying to
disrupt our democratic process and our society. It just won't happen. And I'm old enough to remember the IRA. And I'm old enough to remember what
happened on the streets of this capital city when terrorists tried to change our resolve, tried to change the course that we were taking through
terrorist acts.
It didn't work then. And it's not going to work now.
And everybody who was in the House of Commons with us, it wasn't just MPs, there was the catering staff, schoolchildren from all over the country,
everybody was quietly resolved and determined that things go on as normal.
FOSTER: You mentioned the post-Brexit world. And one of the big concerns, what you're alluding to there, is one of the big concerns that there won't
be the same sort of cooperation between the security services as there would have been with Britain being part of the European Union, but you
think we're getting a sense now really of how that future is going to play out. It's just one of the many things that you're going to have to
consider as we go through Brexit.
KAWCZYNSKI: Well, I think the prime minister has made it absolutely clear that we may be pulling out of the political machine that is the European
Union, but we will still continue to play a huge part in sharing intelligence information and our security services sharing information and
working with security services from all over Europe.
It's hugely important that we continue this work and share information and pool our resources to take on terrorists where they are.
FOSTER: The guard in parliament. He's a policeman, but he didn't have a gun. Most policemen don't have guns. It's not a routine thing you see on
the streets of London, but I know there was a question asked in the chamber today of the prime minister about whether or not that should change. What
are your thoughts on that?
KAWCZYNSKI: Well, I think that the police will obviously clearly have to learn from this experience. Changes will have to be made in certain
security aspects. But today is not the time, really, for me to think about that. That will happen over the coming days, weeks, and months.
Today is the time for quiet reflection about that police officer who died. We lit a candle for him in Westminster Abbey whilst we were being kept
there. And it's tragic that he has had to sacrifice his life in order to protect the rest of us.
[00:15:09] FOSTER: And the mayor is holding a vigil, isn't he, at Trafalgar Square later on tonight. So that's going to be a very poignant
moment as people try to make sense, Kristie, of what happened just yesterday.
LU STOUT: That's right. It's a new reality in the back of this low tech terror attack. Max Foster there. We will have more from London. But
still ahead here in the program, the stage is set for a showdown in the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican's last ditch effort to win
support for a bill to replace Obamacare.
Also ahead, bereaved families in South Korea finally see the ship that took their loved ones down with it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back to this special edition of News Stream. And we are following developments out of London, a city shaken but defiant after
Wednesday's terror attack. Max?
FOSTER: Thanks, Kristie.
Britain's prime minister has said the attack was -- the attacker was British-born, was also the subject of a previous investigation. Three
people were killed and 40 were wounded in that attack. And investigators so far aren't releasing the suspect's name or any other details, but we do
know that they know who he is.
The mayor of London spoke to CNN's Christiane Amanpour. She asked how he's planning to reassure the world that London really is safe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SADIQ KHAN, LONDON MAYOR: Well, we know that over the last few years terrorists have tried to find new ways to harm us, to kill many of us and
to destroy our way of life. But just like they have been evolving and adapting, so have police and security services. We have been evolving and
adapting to find new ways to keep us safe.
Over the last four years alone, there have been 13 separate serious terrorist attempts, which have been thwarted by the expertise of our police
and security services, and because of the intelligence information provided to our police by unfortunately, yesterday this lone attacker was
successful, but because of the preparation and the practice that we have done, far fewer people lost their lives, far fewer people were injured than
would otherwise have been the case.
And that is the position that the threat level today is the same as it's been for a number of years now which is severe. That means that attack is
highly likely, and the met police commissioner said last year, is recently retired, that as far as an attack was concerned in London it was a question
of when, not if.
And so we're never complacent. We're always vigilant. We're doing all that we can to keep our Londoners and visitors safe. We've got the best
police and security service in the world. I say this because of my experience over the last 10, 11 months working with them.
And I'm confident we're doing all that we can to keep our city safe, to keep Londoners safe not and to keep visitors safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[00:20:06] FOSTER: And you can watch Christiane's full interview coming up on Amanpour, 7:00 p.m. here in London, 8:00 p.m. in Berlin right here on
CNN.
Our condolences and pledges of solidarity are coming in from around the globe. Here's a look at how the world is responding. The U.S. President
Donald Trump promised the country's full cooperation and support. He spoke over the phone with the British prime minister yesterday.
The Indonesian foreign minister tweeted the country condemns the attack and says Indonesia conveys its sympathies and condolences to the victims and
their families.
In a statement by the Philippines embassy in London reads, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones whose lives have been
affected by the Westminster attack."
The Russian foreign ministry says Russia is sharing the pain of the people of Britain. And the Australian prime minister wrote, "Our heartfelt
sympathies are with the victims." Australia's increasing security around its parliament building in the capital Canberra.
LU STOUT: Yes, some heartfelt condolences there. Max, thank you.
And we're also learning new details about the investigation into potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia. Now, U.S. officials say that
the FBI has information that is raising suspicions though they stress it is not conclusive.
Now, for the details, here's Pamela Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: U.S. officials tell CNN the FBI has information that indicates associates of President Donald Trump
communicated with suspected Russian operatives to possibly coordinate the release of information damaging to Hillary Clinton's campaign. FBI
Director James Comey as you'll recall, made his bombshell announcement Monday before Congress that the FBI is investigating the Trump campaign
ties to Russia.
So, the FBI is now reviewing that information which includes human intelligence, travel, business and phone records and accounts of in- person
meetings. So, the information is raising those suspicions of FBI counterintelligence investigators that the coordination may have taken
place, so officials cautioned that the information is not conclusive and that the investigation is ongoing. There is still more work to be done.
The FBI would not comment nor would the White House. Though Trump officials have denied there is any evidence of collusion. Mostly, the FBI
is focused on the stolen and published e-mails by WikiLeaks, including the DNC and Clinton campaign's John Podesta, which as you'll recall started
last July.
U.S. officials said the information being investigated was not drawn from the leaked dossier of unverified information compiled by a former British
intelligence official that was compiled for Trump's political opponents, though the dossier also suggested coordination between Trump campaign
associates, as well as Russian operatives.
So, this investigation is ongoing, but this is what we're told in terms of what's going on within the FBI as of now with this counterintelligence
investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: And that was CNN's Pamela Brown.
Amid that ongoing controversy, the White House is scrambling to find enough votes to win passage of a bill to replace Obamacare.
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on that bill by the end of the day. But the Republican Party remains divided over it and time is
running short.
Suzanne Malveaux reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Down to the final hours. President Trump trying to unite Republicans behind the American Health Care
Act.
MARK MEADOWS (R), NORTH CAROLINA: We're really optimistic that we can get there. I mean, there's still a lot of details to work out.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): After vowing to vote no, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus now says he could close the deal with the White House.
MEADOWS: They say that we've got a deal. That wouldn't be accurate. The president and I came to an agreement in principle.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): Conservatives like Meadows want to strip the Obamacare provision of essential health benefits, something they say will
lower the cost of premiums. But satisfying these conservatives could mean jeopardizing support from more moderate Republicans.
REP. PAUL RYAN, (R) WISCONSIN: We feel like we're getting really, really close.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): House Speaker Paul Ryan huddling with moderate Republicans behind closed doors who are angered by some of the proposed
changes. A key figure in the moderate pool, Representative Charlie Dent, delivering a blow, declaring he will oppose the plan, saying in a
statement, "I believe this bill in its current form will lead to the loss of coverage and make insurance unaffordable for too many Americans."
The White House, though, remains optimistic.
SEAN SPICER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Member by member, we're seeing tremendous support flow in our direction and the count keeps getting
stronger.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): And in a final effort to sink the bill, billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch pledging millions of dollars to help
reelect Republicans who vote against the bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And that was our Suzanne Malveaux reporting.
Turning now to South Korea and nearly three years after the Sewol Ferry sank off the coast there, the families of those killed are gathered at the
site as salvage crews lift the ferry from the seabed.
Paula Hancocks has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[00:25:04] PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first eerie glimpse of the ship that claimed 304 lives, the Sewol ferry
that may still hold the bodies of nine victims finally being lifted from the frigid waters of the Yellow Sea. Families watched from nearby boats.
Their first sighting of the vessel that pulled their loved ones beneath the waves.
Lim Yong-jae lost his son, Kan Uh (ph), one of the 250 high school students who died while on a school trip.
I told him once, he says, "There are two people in this world who would die for you, me and your mother. But then I wasn't even there when he needed
me."
Seeing the ship emerge slowly, the family struggled to put emotions into words. And overwhelming hope though that the operation will succeed, that
the ship will be towed to a nearby port that the missing bodies will be found and that an investigation will finally tell them why their children
died.
The Sewol sank in April of 2014 on its way to a holiday island of Jeju. The majority of those who died were students, told by the crew to stay put
and wait for rescue while the crew and the captain saved themselves. They've since been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, a manmade disaster
that traumatized a nation.
(on camera): This port in Jindo is where many of the families waited in those days and weeks after the disaster. And as you can see, almost three
years later, it's still a memorial to those who have been lost. You can see yellow ribbons with messages of support written on them. There's also
paintings and gifts have been left. And of course there is that very painful reminder that not everyone has yet been found.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Jindo, South Korea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, three years on so many families still in mourning and some still waiting for answers. You're watching News Stream. And still ahead
on the program, we'll have more from London where a terror attack has shaken the very seat of British democracy. The latest on the investigation
is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:30:00] LU STOUT: Welcome back. I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong.
FOSTER: I'm Max Foster in London updating you on our breaking news this hour. The British prime minister confirming that the attacker who killed
three people and wounded 40 was known to police and MI5. Theresa May says Britain won't be shaken though.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAY: We are not afraid. And our resolve will never waiver in the face of terrorism. And we meet here in the oldest of oldest of all parliament,
because we know that democracy and the values it entails will always prevail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: We're also learning more about the victims of the attack. One of them has been identified as a 42-year-old Spanish citizen. She is one of
three people killed, another was a police officer. Those wounded come from 11 different nations.
London police have an update earlier, and they said the investigation is focusing on the attacker's motive, his preparation and his associates.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh joins us now with more. Nick?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Max, information slowly dripping out about this attacker. I was speaking to one U.K. official, the
working assumption is this attack was, "ISIS inspired or a copycat" to some degree. They are still investigating whether there are any foreign links
in this. Obviously MI5 now are preparing for a horrifying incident like this for many years. So, that's domestic British security services.
But this is a man known to be a British national who was, "on their radar in the past, because of concerns about links to violent extremism."
Quite what those links were and why he wasn't put on a higher priority list, will, of course, be the object of intense scrutiny here. But we as
we are seeing across all of Europe here, often the volume of surveillance required, because of the sheer number of people who travel security
services because of their history, of links or possibly even internet activity has maybe requiring further surveillance, it's such an enormous
task that often it is insurmountable to the resources available to police forces and security services around the continent.
But behind me here at 9:30 this morning, the grave silence as you can hear yourself, Max. You know, remarkable the absence of traffic here, because
of police cordons turning this busy part of London into an incredible somber area. That was compounded by minute silence inside of parliament.
And you just heard as well an hour later, Theresa May, the British prime minister there, giving a strong statement echoing I think a lot of
sentiment we're seeing around town here and hearing from British people who, you know, decades ago went through periods of Irish-based terrorism
and still want to show a solid face that will not be bowed here and continue going to go to work, carrying about their normal daily business
despite the atrocity that occurred behind me here.
You mentioned the victims here. Yes, we know that the death toll has fortunately been adjusted down from five earlier on to now to three. And
then, of course, the attacker as well.
At this point police are appealing to the media to not go into too much detail so they can continue their investigations here. We are hearing of
eight arrests in Birmingham and London, six addresses in Birmingham specifically, and seven individuals arrested there.
Police, of course, continuing their investigation at a fast pace and looking to see what kind of other links this man may have had, who he may
have consorted with and whether he left Britain at some point to go anywhere else that may be related to this crime here, but fundamentally at
the end of the day, Max, I think that the chilling element about this is the simplistic kind of weapons that were used to drive on to a pavement, a
sidewalk, mow down tourists numbering from many different nations, Romanians, South Koreans, French students, simply to see Big Ben is behind
me here, that London landmark, and try and enjoy the cultural richness of the city here, the heart of British democracy and government, to mow down
on the pavement by this one man who then continue to try and get into parliament, attack P.C. Keith Blakemore, a 48-year-old man, a veteran of
the armed services, and then was shot dead just at the parliament gates down behind me there.
Forensic officers continuing their work as we speak. We've seen them come here twice now. This is still a crime scene and still a capital very much
as you can sure see there, Max, as well, very much in shock at this. Britain having been on severe alert for terror for quite some time, but
this striking at such a symbolic heart of government. Max?
FOSTER: Nick, thank you. Bringing in Christopher Hope now. He's chief political correspondent of "The Daily Telegraph." He was inside parliament
when the attack happened, overlooking the courtyard. So talk us through what you saw.
CHRISTOPHER HOPE, THE TELEGRAPH: Well, I heard a bang. My office is facing near Big Ben. The windows off left to right. And mine is about the
fourth or fifth window along. It was a bang off to the right. We thought it was an explosion or someone hit by a car. We couldn't seat car in the
railings. Suddenly about 200 people ran right to left towards Westminster Abbey. The next thing we know there's gunshots. We're trying to avoid
gunfire, thinking we've been fired on, an attack on parliament if felt like.
And the two bodies lying on the road outside up behind the railings. One was a police officer, one was the attacker.
[00:35:03] FOSTER: Was it over very quickly?
HOPE: It was a bit. It was so dramatic and quite scary. We obviously -- we're journalists, we're all watching it happen like in a dreadful scene
play out before us. So, we called our editors, as you might expect, wrote up things on Twitter and tried to get some understanding of what the hell
was going on.
FOSTER: Well, that was a hard thing for me. Down the road, all the reporting was coming, all the information was coming from you guys and the
police were responding to what you were putting out there.
HOPE: Yes.
FOSTER: There was an extraordinary situation. So you didn't know what was going on, they didn't know what was going on.
HOPE: Well, we could see a lot. There was complete lockdown. We had officers running around saying stay in your offices.
You know, we didn't know if someone had come into the place. And then all these SWAT teams arrived with Kevlar uniforms. Then they were sweeping the
House of Commons and the House of Parliament with dogs. Thinking of maybe another intruder.
MPs were stuck. They were voting on a pensions bill. They were in the member's lobby. They were stuck there, or the chamber, wherever you were,
you stayed there for hours.
FOSTER: Yes.
HOPE: And then at one point, these Kevlar -- lots of kit on them -- burst into the MPs with guns. And they thought they were terrorists. Because no
one knew what was going on, because (inaudible) was not great in the House of Commons at the best of times.
FOSTER: We heard that the prime minister was bundled into a car and taken away. Did you say any of that, or what did you hear?
HOPE: I heard of footage of that. I mean, I think there were a ring of guards around her. And she was voting in the lobby or having a meeting
about Brexit, of course, in the House of Commons, was led out and had a core of about six guards around her, led her to silver vehicle and they
came out just this way. I think they came down here as a different route out of parliament away from where the action was.
FOSTER: And that's just an automatic thing for the head of state -- not the head of state, but the prime minister, right? It wasn't because she
was under any sort of imminent attack, it was just to get her out.
HOPE: We don't know that. And it's not written down somewhere. But I imagine the protocol of get her away from where it is, because she has to
make all the key choices. She has to step up, look after the country. It's quite important she has to get her away from danger and into a place
where she can start making decisions.
FOSTER: So, she started making statements. She said we've got to get back to business as usual tomorrow, as in today. And there she was back in the
chamber at 10:30. What was the atmosphere like today?
HOPE: It was subdued. I thought they're moving. There was James (inaudible) there who knew the policeman who died in the armed forces.
There was also other individuals that (inaudible) there who tried to save the police officer's life.
FOSTER: Yeah, he gave him mouth-to-mouth, didn't he, the police officer.
HOPE: He was standing and facing the speaker, facing kind of a fixed expression and on the edge of tears, Theresa May brilliant, stepped up and
appeared the absolute leader when this country needed a leader.
Jeremy Corbyn, too, I thought did well. I mean, I thought they are the both leaders of the two main parties in this country, Labour and the
Conservatives. They stepped up at the moment.
FOSTER: So, they come together. And the response, you think, has been good generally.
HOPE: It has been good, especially defending democracy, that kind of thing. And giving an update on the hunt for any -- of one link to the
attacker.
FOSTER: Christopher Hope, thank you very much for joining us.
Kristie, back to you.
LU SOTUT: Well, a gripping eyewitness account there. Max, thank you.
You're watching News Stream. And still ahead, more from London. We will hear from additional people who witness the terror attack firsthand. Keep
it here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back. An update on our breaking news. The British prime minister has confirmed that the man who carried out Wednesday's terror
attack who killed three people and wounded 40, was known to police and MI5. Eight people have been arrested in raids across the country. One victim
has been identified as a 43-year-old Spanish citizens, another who was killed was a police officer. And those wounded come from 11 different
countries.
[00:40:09] Now, the area near the Houses of Parliament would have been crawling with politicians, journalists and tourists at the time of the
attack. And some of them became eyewitnesses to the tragedy.
Here are a few of their stories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERALD HOWARTH, BRITISH MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (via telephone): Well, the situation here is, the House of Commons, was that in the business of
voting, so most Members of the Parliament were here, the session was suspended. It is suspended. We are locked in as we get reports of
(inaudible) obviously it's very, very serious indeed. It's confusing.
But I think illustrates just what is going on in the hell of the world that we face this threat of terrorism, and we have to live with it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were crawling along the bridge. There were bodies literally. Must have been 10 bodies, at least 10, 12 bodies all lying in
different places along the bridge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being shot, yes.
FOSTER: It must have been terrifying.
UNIDENTIFID FEMALE: It was horrendous, absolutely horrendous.
CHARLIE COOPER, U.K. REPORTER FOR POLITICO: We actually saw both of those incidents from our office windows. We are little bit shaken up right now,
as you can imagine, and our thoughts are with the police officer who has been stabbed. And anyone else who has been hurt in this horrible incident.
The entire parliamentary press gallery is up here on lockdown. We're not allowed to move from our offices.
ALAN PARRY, EYEWITNESS: The next thing, of course, was chaos. Tourists who frequent that area, of course, were panicking, people shouting oh, my
god and running in all directions. And then the police arrived, including armed policemen as well and telling everyone to clear away, clear away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I walked past about nine injuries, but some weren't so insignificant. Somebody was unconscious who did regain consciousness
and was OK. I'm a bit in shock to be honest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Gripping accounts there.
I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And CNN's coverage of the London terror attack continues after World Sport.
END