Theresa May calls on allies to help ‘regulate cyber space’ as PM confirms latest terror attacks in London and Manchester are NOT linked
The Prime Minister says terrorism "cannot be defeated through military intervention alone"
THERESA May has called on Britain's allies to help "regulate cyber space" as she confirmed the latest terror attacks in London and Manchester are NOT linked.
The Prime Minister says terrorism "cannot be defeated through military intervention alone" as she condemned the "evil" ideology behind the recent atrocities.
Her comments prompted a defiant response from Facebook, with the web giant declaring that it wants to be a “hostile environment for terrorists”.
Seven people were killed and 48 injured when three attackers ploughed a van into pedestrians before stabbing punters at nearby bars and restaurants.
Did you see the London Bridge terror attack, or know anyone involved? Please contact The Sun newsdesk on 020 7782 4100, text 07423720250 or email [email protected]
May confirmed that last night's attack wasn't connected to the suicide bombing in Manchester a fortnight ago and the atrocity at Westminster in March.
However, the Tory leader said a "new trend in the threat we face" has emerged and called for four "important" changes.
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Standing outside 10 Downing Street this morning, the Prime Minister said: "This is the third terrorist attack Britain has experienced in three months.
"In March a similar attack to place just around the corner on Westminster Bridge.
"Two weeks ago Manchester Arena was attacked by a suicide bomber and now London has been struck once more.
"At the same time security and intelligence agencies have disrupted five credible plots since the Westminster attack in March.
"In terms of the planning and execution the recent attacks are not connected but we believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face.
"As terrorism breeds terrorism and perpetrators are inspired to attack - not only on the basis of carefully constructed plots after years of planning and training and not even as lone attackers radicalised online - but by copying one another and using the crudest of means of attack.
"We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are. things need to change and they need to change in four important ways.
"First while the recent attacks are not connected by common networks they are connected in one important sense.
"They are bound together by the single evil ideology of Islamist extremism that preaches hatred and sows division and promotes sectarianism.
"It is an ideology that claims our Western values of freedom, democracy and human rights are incompatible with the religion of Islam.
"It is an ideology that is a perversion of Islam and a perversion of the truth.
"Defeating this ideology is one of the great challenges of our time.
"But it cannot be defeated through military intervention alone.
"It will not be defeated through a permanent defensive counter terrorism operation, however skillful it's leaders and practitioners.
"It will only be defeated when we turn peoples minds away from this violence and make them understand that our values, pluralistic British values are superior to anything offered by the preachers and supporters of hate.
"Second we cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed.
"Yet that is precisely what the internet and the big companies that provide internet based services provide.
"We need to work with allied democratic governments to reach into national agreements that regulate cyber space to prevent the spread of extremist and terrorism planning and we need to do everything we can at home to reduce the risk of extremism online."
Facebook condemned the attack and activated its safety check so people could let their loved ones know they were unhurt.
Simon Milner, Facebook’s Director of Policy, said: “We want to provide a service where people feel safe.
“That means we do not allow groups or people that engage in terrorist activity, or posts that express support for terrorism.
“We want Facebook to be a hostile environment for terrorists.
“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.
“Online extremism can only be tackled with strong partnerships.”
The PM also confirmed the general election will go ahead on Thursday despite calls to postpone it in the wake of the attack.
She said campaigning will resume tomorrow after the Conservatives and the Labour Party confirmed they would suspend campaigning out of respect today.
May chaired a meeting of the government's COBRA emergency committee this morning before addressing the nation shortly after 10.30am.
May said: "It's time to say enough is enough. Everybody needs to go about their lives as they normally would.
"As a mark of respect two political parties have suspended our campaigns for the day.
"Those campaigns will resume tomorrow and the general election will go ahead as planned."
Did you see the London Bridge terror attack, or know anyone involved? Please contact The Sun newsdesk on 020 7782 4100, text 07423720250 or email [email protected]