'Hero' tried to distract Borough Market attackers from woman

A witness has told Sky News how he tried to distract terrorists at Borough Market as they stabbed a woman multiple times.

Gerard Vowles said he heard the attackers cry "This is for Allah" moments before they targeted the victim.

"She was going 'help me, help me' and screaming," he added.

"It was horrible. I felt helpless. I'm sad for that poor girl, what they did to her, and I wish I could have done more to help her."

Mr Vowles said he ran towards them to distract them from attacking the woman.

"They chased me, one of them did," he said.

"I nearly slipped over. I thought if I would have gone over, I would have been dead. They would have stabbed me, I would have been lying there, maybe 50 stab wounds."

:: LIVE - Latest updates on London Bridge terror

When another witness who was throwing bottles complimented Mr Vowles on his bravery, he responded that "all I was trying to do was get them to follow me to get them to the main road where the armed police were going".

"I'm hoping that she's alive because I want to go and see her in hospital so I can just say I tried my best to help you, I'm just glad you're alive," said Mr Vowles.

"When you see it on the news you feel sorry for the people, but when you see it in real life it's a totally different thing."

"It's the most evil thing I've ever seen in my life," he said.

:: The moment police took down terrorists

Image:People leave the area with their hands up after an incident near London Bridge in London, Pic: Reuters

An officer who was injured in the attack has been commended for his bravery by the head of the British Transport Police, after it emerged the policeman had confronted the attackers using only his baton.

Chief Constable Paul Crowther said: "Having visited the officer in hospital shortly after he was admitted for treatment, I was able to hear his account of what happened last night.

"It became clear that he showed enormous courage in the face of danger, as did many others who were at the scene and rushed to help.

"Although he is seriously unwell, he was able to recount how he faced the attackers armed only with his baton, outside London Bridge station.

"For an officer who only joined us less than two years ago, the bravery he showed was outstanding and makes me extremely proud."

Speaking after a COBRA meeting this morning, the Prime Minister said she would like to "thank and pay tribute" to the police and emergency services.

She also extended her thanks and tributes to "the courage of members of the public who defended themselves and others from the attackers."

:: May - We are 'too tolerant of extremism'

Image:Counter terrorism officers near London Bridge

Cressida Dick, the Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, joined the PM in saying she had heard "truly remarkable stories of extraordinary brave actions by officers - on and off duty - who were first on the scene.

"I also heard of colleagues from other emergency services and members of the public who ran towards the danger as this incident unfolded.

"Many, many people risked their own safety to help others and to treat those seriously injured and indeed to confront the suspects involved.

"It is clear to me that the courage of those people during and following the attack was extraordinary," said the commissioner.

"I pay tribute to all of them who came to the aid of those in need during this dreadful attack and I am sure helped to save lives."

Donald Trump slams Mayor of London Sadiq Khan over terror attack

US President Donald Trump appeared to hit out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan in the wake of the capital's terror attack.

Following the atrocity, Mr Trump wrote: "At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is 'no reason to be alarmed!'"

He seemed to be referring to Mr Khan's earlier statement that "Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. There's no reason to be alarmed".

Strongly condemning the attack in London Bridge and Borough Market, the mayor appealed to people to remain vigilant, while at the same time assuring them that the capital is "one of the safest global cities in the world."

In response, a spokesperson for the London Mayor said Mr Khan "is busy working with the police, emergency services and the government to coordinate the response to this horrific and cowardly terrorist attack".

"He has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump's ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks urging Londoners not to be alarmed when they saw more police - including armed officers - on the streets," the spokesperson said.

Mr Trump also tweeted about political correctness and brought gun control into the debate, in light of the fact the attackers "used knives and a truck".

Earlier in the day, the President had sent a tweet following initial reports of the attack, telling the UK that Americans "are with you" and "we need to be smart, vigilant and tough".

But he was criticised for turning attention back to the US and his immigration crackdown by adding: "We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!"

He went on to say: "Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the UK, we will be there."

He also retweeted an early unconfirmed report on the attack from a US news aggregation website.

Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell called the President's opportunistic tweet "classless", writing: "Merkel, @EmmanuelMacron make well pitched reactions to London attacks @potus relies on unconfirmed reports to promote travel ban #classless".

The US state department has said that America "condemns the cowardly attacks" and was "ready to assist".

Theresa May said there is far too much tolerance of extremism in the UK and it is time to be more robust in tackling it.

Speaking in Downing Street following the atrocity, the Prime Minister said it was time to say "enough is enough".

Image:Buses at a standstill on London Bridge

:: LIVE: Van attack and stabbings at London Bridge
:: Witness accounts of London terror attack
:: London attack: What's happening where

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Brutal and shocking incidents reported in London. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. Thank you to the emergency services."

Meanwhile Japan has warned its citizens to avoid potential terror targets in London, following the attacks.

The nation issued a travel advisory mentioning sightseeing spots, department stores, markets, concert venues and political rallies.

Image:People leave the area with their hands up after the London Bridge attack

Japan's foreign ministry warned visitors to the UK should "pay close attention to the surroundings, and leave quickly if any suspicious signs are seen".

French Prime Minister Emmanual Macron tweeted: "In the face of this new tragedy, France is more than ever at the side of the UK. My thoughts are with the victims and those close to them."

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: "Awful news from London tonight. We're monitoring the situation."

Australia's foreign minister Julie Bishop described the incidents as a "shocking situation".

She said in a statement: "We stand ready to support the British government as it responds to these attacks and our thoughts are with those injured and their families."

European Commission leader Jean-Claude Juncker said: "Following latest London incidents with horror. Thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Please stay safe."

Tension between Theresa May and Facebook over extremism online

Just 12 hours after the London Bridge attack, the Prime Minister was clear where at least some of the blame lies.

"We cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed," Theresa May said on the steps of Downing Street.

"Yet that is precisely what the internet - and the big companies that provide internet-based services - provide."

It was extraordinary in the aftermath of the recent attack, where facts remain unclear and where victims have not yet been named, for the Prime Minister to make such a political response.

She continued: "We need to work with allied, democratic governments to reach international agreements that regulate cyberspace to prevent the spread of extremism and terrorist planning.

"And we need to do everything we can at home to reduce the risks of extremism online."

She also posted her statement to Facebook, and the social media giant was the first to respond.

You don't have to read between the lines to see that Facebook is not happy. The company believes that it already does a lot.

Facebook's policy director wrote: "Using a combination of technology and human review, we work aggressively to remove terrorist content from our platform as soon as we become aware of it.

"If we become aware of an emergency involving imminent harm to someone's safety, we notify law enforcement.

"Online extremism can only be tackled with strong partnerships. We have long collaborated with policymakers, civil society, and others in the tech industry, and we are committed to continuing this important work together."

Sources at other technology companies are also keen to stress how much, in their view, they work with government.

They were surprised to be singled out by the PM so quickly.

"Today isn't the day for a public row," one source told me.

In her statement, the PM was driving at two different agendas: "spreading extremism" and "planning attacks".

On the first, it is reasonable for tech companies to do a little more. Over the last few years, they've become much quicker at removing flagged videos and accounts.

And here the Government's and the technology companies' interests are pretty aligned: social networks do not want harmful content on their sites - to keep both users, and advertisers, happy.

The problem comes with content that is not obviously terrorist and thus illegal. When does free speech become extremism?

The Government itself has struggled to define extremism legally, and technology companies are not going to be able to do any better.

The second part - "terrorist planning" - is a reference to the problems posed by end-to-end encryption. Encryption keeps users secure but also makes it hard for governments to monitor communications.

The issue is a long-running one. The Westminster and Manchester attacks brought it back to our attention.

What is often missed is that the Government already has the legal powers to order companies to provide communications unencrypted. But it has never enforced them.

That may well change now. And it will lead to a very big showdown indeed.

Hackers leak emails from UAE ambassador to US

Hackers have released the first series of emails taken from the inbox of the UAE's ambassador to the United States, Yousef al-Otaiba.

The Intercept reported on Saturday that the emails, released by a group called "Global Leaks", show a close relationship between al-Otaiba and a pro-Israel, neoconservative think-tank - the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

The hacked emails, some of which date back to 2014, reveal a high level of backchannel cooperation between the FDD, which is funded by pro-Israel billionaire Sheldon Adelson, and the UAE.

They also appear to show clear collaboration between the FDD and the UAE on a campaign to downgrade the image and importance of Qatar as a regional and global power, including collusion with journalists who have published articles accusing Qatar and Kuwait of supporting "terrorism".

Zaid Jilani, one of the authors of The Intercept report, told Al Jazeera the emails support previous allegations "that there is a growing axis between some of the Gulf countries, like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and Israel".

READ MORE: Hackers 'to leak' emails of UAE ambassador to US

David Hearst, the Editor in Chief of Middle East Eye, told Al Jazeera the emails laid bare the "mechanism" behind "a very high stakes campaign that is being launched against Qatar".

Otaiba is a well-known figure in US national security circles - he has been called "the most charming man in Washington" - and has participated in Pentagon strategy meetings at the invitation of defence officials.

The release of the leaked emails comes a week after a cyberattack on Qatar's official news agency, during which fake remarks critical of US foreign policy were posted and attributed to the Qatari Emir.

Saturday's email leak includes an exchange in which FDD senior counsellor John Hannah - a former deputy national security advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney - complains to Otaiba that Qatar is hosting a meeting of Hamas at an Emirati-owned hotel.

Otaiba responds that the UAE is not at fault and that the real problem lies with the US military base in Qatar.

He writes: "How's this, you move the base then we'll move the hotel :-)"

The leak also includes a proposed agenda for an upcoming meeting between the FDD and the UAE government scheduled for June 11-14.

The agenda includes in-depth discussions specifically on Qatar, including Qatar-based Al Jazeera, and its links to the Muslim Brotherhood.

One item on the agenda is: "Al Jazeera as an instrument of regional instability".

"They actually discussed recasting Al Jazeera as a disruptive network, a network that is causing instability and chaos, rather than recognised good journalism," The Intercept's Jilani told Al Jazeera.

Attendees set to take part in the June meeting include former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Mark Dubowitz, CEO of FDD.

Other FDD emails ask for meetings with high-ranking figures including Mohammed bin Zayed - the crown prince who runs the UAE's armed forces - as well as Mohammed Dahlan, a former strongman of the Palestinian Fatah group who now lives in Abu Dhabi.

A large portion of the emails focus on "U.S./UAE policies to positively impact Iranian internal situation" and to "contain and defeat Iranian aggression".

Another email in the leak shows the FDD and the UAE looking to pressure businesses to pull out of Iran.

In early March, Dubowitz emailed Otaiba a list of non-US businesses operating in Saudi Arabia or the UAE "looking to invest in Iran".

"This is a target list for putting these companies to a choice, as we have discussed," Dubowitz wrote.

Hearst, of the Middle East Eye, told Al Jazeera he believed the leaked emails showed a clear "agenda" by ruling figures in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.

They have "seized" on Donald Trump's presidency in the US, "and now they're using him as a way of getting the job done, which includes getting rid of Al Jazeera... and also muffling Qatar".

London attacks: Mayor Sadiq Khan dismisses Trump criticism

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has dismissed criticism from US President Donald Trump over his response to Saturday's terror attack.

The attack in London Bridge and Borough Market killed seven and injured 48.

Mr Trump accused Mr Khan of downplaying the attack by telling Londoners there was "no reason to be alarmed".

Mr Khan's team said he had "more important things to do than respond to Mr Trump", who had "deliberately" taken his remarks "out of context".

"The Mayor is busy working with the police, emergency services and the government to co-ordinate the response to this horrific and cowardly terrorist attack and provide leadership and reassurance to Londoners and visitors to our city," Mr Khan's spokesperson added.

On Saturday night, following the attack, Mr Trump tweeted a message of support to the UK, but also sparked controversy after he called for his travel ban on visitors from six predominantly Muslim countries to be upheld by US courts.

On Sunday, he criticised Mr Khan, writing: "At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is 'no reason to be alarmed!'"

His tweet angered many in the UK, who pointed out Mr Khan had been referring to increased police numbers on the streets.

During an interview earlier on Sunday, Mr Khan had said: "Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. No reason to be alarmed."

Mr Khan had also said: "One of the things the police and all of us need to do is ensure that we're as safe as we possibly can be.

"I'm reassured that we are one of the safest global cities in the world, if not the safest global city in the world, but we always evolve and review ways to make sure we're as safe as we possibly can."

Following the attack, Mr Trump also tweeted that "we must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people", and that there was no gun debate after the attack "because they used knives and a truck".

Later on Sunday, Mr Trump visited the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia for the second time over the weekend.

Mr Trump and Mr Khan have clashed several times in the past.

During the US presidential campaign last year, Mr Trump first proposed the ban on Muslims entering the US, but suggested he could make an exception for Mr Khan, who is London's first Muslim mayor.

Mr Khan also accused Mr Trump of being "ignorant" about Islam and making both the US and UK "less safe".

Mr Trump responded by challenging Mr Khan to an IQ test, and said he was offended by Mr Khan, adding: "He doesn't know me, never met me... I will remember those statements."

Mr Khan rejected the offer, saying: "It's not about me, it's about my friends, family and others from all around the world."

London Bridge victims 'stabbed in the throat' by attackers

Names of the 48 people injured in the London Bridge terror attack have begun to emerge, with foreign citizens among those hurt

Oliver Dowling, from New Zealand, was left in a coma after he was stabbed in the face, neck and stomach on Saturday night.

The 32-year-old is said to have undergone four hours of surgery for his injuries - and his girlfriend Marie Bondeville was also hurt.

:: LIVE - Police raids after London attack

Image:Oliver Dowling and Marie Bondeville. Pic: Facebook

Two Australians are also feared to have been injured - including Candice Hedge, who needed an emergency operation after being stabbed in the throat as she ate dinner with her boyfriend.

Ms Hedge, who is originally from Brisbane but now lives in London, is believed to have survived because the knife missed her main artery.

The 31-year-old, who is being treated at St Thomas' Hospital, posted on Facebook: "I'm doing OK. Still in hospital, but all in the clear. I really can't talk. The f----- stabbed me in the neck. Don't worry too much. I love you all."

Her mother told Fairfax Media: "She couldn't speak, but I got to see her and she gave me the thumbs up, so I knew she was ok."

:: NHS says 21 people in critical condition

Image:Candice Hedge. Pic: Facebook

Sunday Express business editor Geoff Ho was also slashed in the throat after stepping in to help a lone bouncer being targeted by the attackers.

Videos emerged online of Mr Ho being escorted topless by police after "jumping in" when the guard was attacked.

"Don't know whether it was stupid or noble to jump in and break up the fight," he posted on Facebook moments after the incident.

"But two a******** trying to do over the lone bouncer on the door isn't happening on my watch."

:: 'Hero' tried to distract attackers from victim

Image:Geoff Ho. Pic: Facebook

The Sunday Express called Mr Ho "our hero" - telling the tale of how the "martial arts expert selflessly intervened".

Editor Martin Townsend said: "Geoff Ho is an absolutely first class reporter and a fine and decent man and our thoughts are with him and his family at this time."

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "heartbroken" as he confirmed that one Canadian citizen is among those who died in the attack.

France's foreign minister also confirmed that a French man was killed - and of the seven French citizens who are injured, four are in a critical condition.

President Emmanuel Macron has denounced the "abominable and cowardly" attack.

:: The moment police took down terrorists

Spain's foreign ministry says that one Spaniard is among the wounded, and said the victims was being treated for wounds described as not serious.

Four police officers who tried to stop the attack were among those injured - including a policeman who tackled one of the terrorists while armed only with his baton.

Of the 48 people injured, 36 remain in hospital - and 21 of them are in a critical condition.

:: Anyone concerned about friends or relatives who may have been caught up in the attacks can call the police casualty bureau on 0800 096 1233 or 020 7158 0197.

London terror attack: Panic as families evacuated by police

On the floor of a packed pub, parents were wondering how their early night in a nearby Premier Inn ended up like this.

"We were just settling down after Britain's Got Talent and we heard the fire alarm," said Paul Cochran, who had brought his wife and young twins from Ireland to see the sights of London.

"Once we got downstairs, it was clear from the amount of police that it wasn't a fire and we were just ushered out of the building and into the street."

:: Six dead in London van and knife terror attack

:: London terror live updates

The Royal Oak Pub opened their doors to the families whose hotel was inside the police cordon as Saturday night's tragedy unfolded.

David Dickson was having dinner in Borough market when a woman ran in to the restaurant shouting that she'd seen a man with a machete. "It was panic. We all tried to get out of there and we didn't know where was safe".

The safety and warmth of the pub prompted young children - past their bedtimes - to fall asleep in their confused parents' arms.

It was more than an hour before Premier Inn workers in hi-vis jackets arrived in cars to take the most vulnerable to another nearby hotel. One man had a heart murmur and another was cradling an ice pack on his hand.

:: Witnesses tell of gunfire and stabbings

:: World leaders respond after London terror attacks

The rest of the evacuees were led out on foot, but as families woke up their sleeping loved ones, no-one was sure how far they'd be going.

The police cordon of blue-and-white tape had stretched from the edge of the adjacent road around almost every conceivable way out of the area.

One man I spoke to lived just inside the cordon - as he tried to get back to his flat, pedestrians looking for answers were being forcibly removed if they didn't comply with the constant shouts of officers ordering people back.

The police went from door-to-door at blocks of flats, urging people who had made it back to stay inside and to lock their doors.

:: London attack: What's happening where

:: Was it a mistake to lower the UK terror threat?

It made getting out of the area an incredible task for even those familiar with London Bridge and Borough's winding backstreets.

People were asking for directions to places across the capital, proving how popular a destination the area is.

After walking for two hours, with policemen escorting us away when we arrived at another of police cordon, our zigzag journey ended at the Sky News satellite truck as the sun came up.

There is more tape, decorated with red stripes labelled 'inner cordon' and the streets are emptied of the Saturday night revellers.

The sirens and flashing lights are joined by the last of the minicabs ferrying people home. But for the families shuttled from hotel bedroom to pub floor and on to another venue, their sleepless night continues.

:: Anyone concerned about friends or relatives who may have been caught up in the attacks can call the police casualty bureau on 0800 096 1233 or 020 7158 0197.