Fearless cyclist’s very British response after he chased down Westminster terror suspect

A FEARLESS cyclist who witnessed the Westminster terror attack yesterday has given a very British response to the ordeal.

Robert Nicholson, who was cycling near the Houses or Parliament when the incident unfolded, told Sky News: “Being English, you have a cup of tea and a biscuit and you carry on.”

Mr Nicholson said he saw the car smash into cyclists, and then “jumped off my bike and ran after him” as he thought the driver would stop.

He added: “To be honest, I thought it was something like a car accident, he got lost, scared, maybe he was being chased by the police or something.”

However the driver carried on and Mr Nicholson realised it was a major incident.

He said: “When the armed police yelled ‘clear out, get out the way’, I realised it was a bit more serious and to clear out.”

Westminster could be pedestrianised in a bid to ward off vehicle attacks – terrorists’ “weapon of choice”, Britain’s most senior police officer said.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick praised officers’ courage as they leapt into action following the “ghastly” crash at the Houses of Parliament.

A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terror after crashing a silver Ford Fiesta on Tuesday morning.

The suspect has been named as British national Salih Khater, 29, who reportedly lives in a rundown flat above an internet cafe in Sparkhill, Birmingham.

Over the past year and a half Westminster has become a target for attack for a variety of motivations, including terrorist, Ms Dick said.

She said: “You will notice that the security around parliament both in terms of armed officers and police officers and physical barriers has been further enhanced over the last several months and there is more to come on that in further months.

“Whether that area outside should be pedestrianised further, there should be further physical works done, I think is a matter that will be discussed no doubt between parliamentary authorities, us, the intelligence agencies and indeed the local authorities and the mayor.”

She appealed to anyone with information about the background or events of Tuesday to come forward.

She said: “Sadly the vehicle appears to, in some ways when you look across Europe and the western world, have become a weapon of choice, method of attack of choice for terrorists, and devastation can be caused by a vehicle as we’ve seen so many times.

“A horrible attack yesterday, my thoughts are with the people who were injured and the people who witnessed it.”