Washington: A defiant President Donald Trump on Friday accused former FBI director James Comey of committing perjury in his blockbuster Senate testimony and said he was willing to share his version of events under oath with the special counsel overseeing the expanding Russia investigation.Trump emphatically declared his innocence yet refused to solve a mystery of his own making by stating whether he has tapes of his one-on-one conversations with Comey. Any such recordings could prove which man s account is accurate but the president played coy - saying he would wait a fairly short period of time to tell the public whether any tapes exist as he first suggested they might in May.During a combative news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House the president said Comey s testimony was politically motivated contained falsehoods and failed to establish that Trump had colluded with Russians to win last year s election or had obstructed justice in seeking to end the federal government s probe. No collusion. No obstruction. https://offenekommune.de/user/thoughtforquotes/about He s a leaker Trump said of Comey adding: We were very very happy and frankly James Comey confirmed a lot of what I said. And some of the things that he said just weren t true. Embed code:Comey s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee painted a damning portrait of Trump s character and the president waited until Friday morning to break his silence - first in a 6:10 a.m. tweet declaring total and complete vindication and then in more detail at the afternoon news conference.Comey - who testified that he had taken contemporaneous notes of all his conversations with Trump - said he believed the president had fired him because of the Russia probe told lies about Comey s record at the bureau and sought to redirect the probe away from former national security adviser Michael Flynn.Trump and his aides and allies followed a two-pronged rebuttal strategy: They hung onto snippets of Comey s testimony as categorical evidence of Trump s innocence while using other elements to try to impugn the former FBI director s credibility.The president who followed the advice of his lawyers to refrain from commenting Thursday was characteristically pugnacious in his presentation Friday and opted mostly to deliver broadsides rather than address the details of Comey s testimony.Jonathan Karl of ABC News drilled down on a couple of key facts however beginning with Comey s statement that Trump had told him that he hoped he would let the Flynn investigation go. Trump replied three times I didn t say that. Regarding Comey s assertion that Trump had asked him during a one-on-one dinner in the White House to pledge his loyalty the president said I hardly know the man. I m not going to say I want you to pledge allegiance. Who would do that? Karl pointed out to Trump that Comey had made these statements under oath and asked the president - who has a long and well-documented history of telling falsehoods - whether he would be willing to provide his version of events under oath. One hundred percent Trump said.Karl also asked if he was willing to speak about the issue with Robert Mueller III the former FBI director who is now leading the Russia investigation as special counsel. Trump said he would. I would be glad to tell him exactly what I just told you Trump said.Just as his personal lawyer and surrogates had on Thursday Trump branded Comey a leaker on Friday for revealing in his testimony that he had asked a friend to pass along personal notes of Comey s conversations with Trump to a reporter with the aim of prompting the appointment of a special counsel. The Justice Department later appointed Mueller as special counsel.Trump wrote in his Friday morning tweet WOW Comey is a leaker! And he repeated the charge at the Rose Garden news conference telling reporters He s a leaker. The term leaker is typically used to refer to a government employee who gives classified documents or state secrets to the news media. The case is different with Comey a former government employee sharing personal notes and recollections that are not classified.Still Marc Kasowitz Trump s personal lawyer was preparing to file a complaint early next week over Comey s testimony to the Justice Department s Inspector General s Office and the Senate Judiciary Committee according to a person close to the legal team.A spokesman for the Justice Department Inspector General declined to comment.On Thursday Kasowitz alleged in his statement to reporters that Comey unilaterally and surreptitiously made unauthorized disclosures to the press of privileged communications with the president. Trump s surrogates fanned out on television news shows to parrot the president s charge that Comey improperly leaked information.Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) said on Fox News Channel I think we re going to have to look at his basically employment contract with the FBI as to what he would keep confidential and what he would reveal. So I think there has to be an investigation. Am I ready to say he committed a crime? No not until we look into all this. Despite Trump s declaration of no obstruction Democrats on Capitol Hill raised the prospect that he may have obstructed justice based on Comey s testimony and called for additional investigations.Sen. Diane Feinstein D-Calif. a senior member of both the Intelligence and Judiciary committees said in a statement I see firsthand the distinction between the legal and counterintelligence aspects presented by Director Comey s testimony this week. It is my strong recommendation that the Judiciary Committee investigate all issues that raise a question of obstruction of justice. Reps. Adam Schiff D-Calif. and K. Michael Conaway R-Texas who are investigating the Russia issue on the House Intelligence Committee sent a letter to White House counsel Donald McGahn asking whether the White House has any recordings or memoranda of Trump s conversations with Comey or whether any have existed in the past. They asked the White House to produce them to the committee by June 23.Schiff and Conaway also sent a letter to Comey requesting that he share any notes or memoranda in his possession about his talks with Trump.Trump held his news conference alongside the visiting president of Romania Klaus Iohannis who lavished praise on his American host.The visit came after Donald Trump Jr. the president s eldest son who is helping run the family s real estate companies while his father is in office reportedly traveled to Romania in mid-May for a hunting and sightseeing trip. A Trump Organization spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment about Trump Jr. s travels to Romania.U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded definitively that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election to try to influence its outcome in Trump s favor. But in his Rose Garden remarks the president repeated his claim that the probe into possible collusion between his campaign and Russia is merely a creation of his political opponents. That was an excuse by the Democrats who lost an election that some people think they shouldn t have lost because it s almost impossible for the Democrats to lose the Electoral College as you know Trump said. You have to run up the whole East Coast and you have to win everything as a Republican and that s just what we did. In fact Trump lost most of the states on the Eastern seaboard (he carried only Florida Georgia the Carolinas and a portion of Maine). He won his electoral college majority by carrying a number of hotly-contested states in the industrial Midwest including Michigan Pennsylvania Ohio and Wisconsin.(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Donald Trump has declared he is 100% willing to testify under oath about his interactions with James Comey insisting the former FBI director was untruthful during his testimony on Capitol Hill. The US president vehemently denied allegations that he asked Comey to pledge loyalty and drop an investigation into a senior aide. But Trump refused to confirm or deny that recordings of the pair s conversations exist. The remarks came a day after Comey testified under oath that the president lied about his firing and the FBI in an effort to undermine the agency s investigation into possible collusion between Trump aides and Russia. No collusion no obstruction he s a leaker Trump told reporters in the White House rose garden on Friday. We were very very happy and frankly James Comey confirmed a lot of what I said and some of the things that he said just weren t true. But later in the joint press conference with the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis Trump was challenged by ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl. First Karl asked about Comey s claim that Trump asked him to let go an investigation into national security adviser Michael Flynn. I will tell you I didn t say that the president replied. And there d be nothing wrong if I did say that according to everybody that I ve read today but I did not say that. Trump also denied seeking a pledge of loyalty as Comey claimed had happened when the men dined at the White House in January. Karl then asked if Trump would be willing to speak under oath to give his version of those events. One hundred per cent said the president. I hardly know the man. I m not going to say I want you to pledge allegiance. Who would do that? Who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath? Think of it: I hardly know the man it doesn t make sense. No I didn t say that and I didn t say the other. Trump said he would be glad to tell the same thing to special counsel Robert Mueller who is investigating Russian meddling in the presidential election. But Trump remained elusive on the subject of tapes. He had tweeted on 12 May: James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! Comey said on Thursday he hoped there were tapes and he would be happy for them to be released. Asked on Friday if such tapes exist Trump built suspense by saying: Well I ll tell you about that maybe some time in the very near future. As reporters shouted in protest he promised them in a short period of time merely feeding the frenzy. One reporter shouted: Are there tapes sir? He replied: Oh you re going to be very disappointed when you hear the answer don t worry. Soon after he spoke the House intelligence committee announced that it had written to White House counsel Don McGahn to request that if any recordings or memoranda of Comey s conversations with Trump exist they be produced to the committee by 23 June. The press conference was not Trump s first public comment on Thursday s Senate intelligence committee hearing. That came on Twitter early on Friday morning. Despite so many false statements and lies total and complete vindication and WOW Comey is a leaker! he posted. How rightwing media saw Comey s testimony as a win for Trump Read more Meanwhile Trump s legal team was confirmed to be preparing to file a complaint against Comey for sharing his memos of meetings with the president with the New York Times. After Comey s testimony Trump s lawyer Marc Kasowitz said in a brief statement to the press the former FBI director had admitted that he unilaterally and surreptitiously made unauthorised disclosures to the press of privileged communications with the president . The legal complaint will be filed with the office of the inspector general for the Department of Justice early next week according to a source close to the legal team who did not want to speak on the record before the complaint was filed. The legal team will also send a complaint to the Senate judiciary committee regarding Comey s testimony before that panel last month as well as his testimony before the intelligence committee to clarify on the record what Trump s legal team views as discrepancies and falsehoods in the displaced FBI director s testimony. Richard Painter a White House ethics counsel under George W Bush said such an action would only amplify the notion that Trump was trying to impede the investigation. Trying to get DOJ to go after Comey a material witness over leak is yet more obstruction of Justice he tweeted. Comey s testimony shows: the impeachment machine is warming up | Richard Wolffe Read more Trump has long history of threatening legal action but failing to follow through. On Thursday Kasowitz said the the president s team would leave it to the appropriate authorities to determine whether Comey s actions warranted further investigation. It s unclear what action the justice department might be able to take against Comey who was no longer employed by it at the time. It s also uncertain whether a formal complaint to the Senate judiciary committee would prompt a meaningful response. Moreover several experts agree that Comey did not violate any laws by sharing his personal memos with a friend to be made public and that his actions did not constitute the unauthorized disclosure of privileged information . It is not a violation of executive privilege to voluntarily disclose materials that could be protected by the privilege no matter what Kasowitz says Steve Vladeck a professor at the University of Texas School of Law wrote in the Washington Post. Nor is such a voluntary disclosure illegal. At least one Democratic senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii suggested Trump should now testify before Congress himself. This is not just another silly tweet Schatz tweeted. It is essential for our country that the president offer his testimony to Congress about what exactly happened. In an interview on Friday Rhode Island senator Jack Reed an ex officio member of the Senate intelligence committee said he expected Robert Mueller the special counsel appointed in the wake of Comey s firing to take over the Russia inquiry to depose the president as part of the investigation. Comey who was fired by Trump on 9 May told the Senate intelligence committee he believed the president fired him because of the Russia investigation. I was fired in some way to change or the endeavor was to change the way the Russia investigation was being conducted. That is a very big deal. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Highlights from former FBI director Comey s testimony Comey confirmed that he detailed in memos several conversations in which the president asked him to drop his inquiry into former national security adviser Michael Flynn saying I hope you can let this go and sought a pledge of loyalty that Comey deemed inappropriate given FBI independence. Comey also branded Trump a liar and said the president had mischaracterized their conversations to justify his abrupt dismissal. The administration chose to defame me and more importantly the FBI by saying that the organisation was in disarray that it was poorly led that the workforce had lost confidence in its leader Comey said. Those were lies plain and simple and I m so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them and I m so sorry the American people were told them. Impeachment atom Comey said he told Trump on three occasions he was not personally under investigation. Federal investigators have cautioned that their inquiry into contacts between Trump and Moscow remains inconclusive but Trump s lawyers and supporters nonetheless seized on that piece of information to claim the president had been cleared of wrongdoing. Comey also suggested that Mueller was investigating whether Trump s actions amounted to obstruction of justice. Contact the Guardian securely Read more Comey said he asked a friend a member of the law department of Columbia University to give to the New York Times details of his memos about his interactions with Trump because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel . Mueller was appointed as special counsel on 17 May. Comey explained that he documented each meeting with Trump because he thought the president might be dishonest about what transpired. I was honestly concerned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting and so I thought it really important to document he said of their first conversation at Trump Tower in New York in January. Trump issued a second tweet just before 7am writing about what is reportedly his favored morning show: Great reporting by @foxandfriends and so many others. Thank you!
Jerry Oppenheimer covered the Justice Department and the http://in.usgbc.org/people/thought-theday/0011177712 FBI for the Washington Star. A New York Times bestselling author his latest book The Kardashians: An American Drama will be published in September.When California Senator Kamala Harris thanked fired FBI director James Comey for testifying as a private citizen in the Senate intelligence hearing into Russian interference yesterday his response was I m between opportunities right now. It was a joking reference to being out of work since Presidential Trump told him You re fired! .When Harris responded I m sure you ll have decent opportunities in the future she didn t know how right she was. Why is this man smiling? Comey s going to have the biggest D.C. golden parachute ever says one literary agentIf the publishing world has anything to say about it the nation s ex-top cop 56 will be a multimillionaire ten times over from the book deal major publishers are offering to pay up front for his memoir a whopping 10 million DailyMail.com can reveal. It s a sum right up there with the kind of advances paid to the Clintons - although maybe not a high as the Obamas - and the kind of royalty money generated by Comey s nemesis Donald Trump s many books. Jim Comey s story has everything from White House intrigue to possible corruption and law breaking. His explosive story makes West Wing and House of Cards on a par with Mister Rogers an acquisition editor for a major New York publishing house told DailyMail.com When his proposal hits my desk I ve already been authorized to offer 10 million. Not only that but the publisher of another key player in the book world revealed that major Hollywood producers are already lining up to make the torn-from-the-headlines blockbuster movie about Comey s life and his attempt to unseat the president.A prominent movie-TV agent told DailyMail.com: I know one top drawer producer who s already talking to stars to cast the Comey role. He has to be tall good-looking and a Jimmy Stewart-John Wayne-hero type. I was mesmerized when I spent the whole day watching Comey testify. Comey could expect a movie deal tied into the book worth many millions of dollars more tens of millions. The Washington Post called Comey s testimony a performance of a lifetime Classic G-man and aggrieved victim. And a New York Times headline billed Comey as Hero Villain and Shakespearean Character Comey s seven-page testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee was released late Wednesday just hours before his appearance. When that document hit my desk I thought I want his book. said another top editor whose been involved in some of the biggest New York Times nonfiction bestsellers. Expect him to dish on Hillary Clinton and President Trump in what promises to be a riveting memoir This guy can write. His story and the way he tells it is spellbinding. Ten million dollars is not an outrageous amount for his story. I ran some numbers and I could see us selling a million copies especially if he goes way beyond what he s stated publicly said anotherComey had proven his writing ability as a student journalist at the College of William & Mary when in 1980 he wrote a three-part series for the campus newspaper The Fat Hat about the retaining and recruitment of African-American studentsAccording to one knowledgeable publishing insider Comey will be having talks with one of Washington s top lawyer-agents Bill Barnett whose book clients have included Bill and Hillary George W. Bush Bob Woodward and even the Prince of Wales and Barbra Streisand. He will get Jim millions maybe even more than 10 million which is the number making the rounds. By being fired by The Donald Jim Comey s going to have the biggest Washington golden parachute ever. Trump s going to make him a Hollywood celebrity a literary lion and a multimillionaire. Trump s gonna kick himself. But he ll be a major player in both the big screen and the book story. And Comey can surely use the pay day. He s no longer receiving his annual salary of 172 100. And because he was fired for cause by Trump he can t receive severance pay but can qualify for government retirement benefits. When Comey (center) was 16 he and his younger brother Peter became victims of a gunman who had invaded the Comey home in suburban New Jersey locked them in the bathroom at gunpoint and ransacked the houseBut none of that can compare to the millions he ll get for his memoir and the movie deal.Still Comey s far from broke. When he got the FBI job records showed he had a net worth of 11 million and was awaiting a 3 million payout from the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates where he served as general counsel. He previously held a similar position with a major aerospace firm. Comey and his brother called the police and they helped the police artist make a sketch of the intruder. This led to the arrest of a wanted criminal known as the Ramsey Rapist who had raped teenaged babysitters.Aside from being out of work he recently lost 500 000 in the sale of his home in the ritzy New York City suburb of Westport Ct. a bastion of liberal Democrat voters and once the home of Martha Stewart and Paul Newman. According to reports Comey had to drop the price twice before a buyer bought it for 2.475 million last January around the time of Trump s inauguration. In 2010 three years before he became FBI director Comey paid 3.05 million for the seven-bedroom more than 7 000-square foot home near Long Island Sound.According to the publishing executives interviewed by Daily Mail the proposed book would deal with Comey s entire life from his New Jersey childhood up to the intrigue and drama of his Washington years including the Hillary email fiasco and of course his dealings with Trump.When Comey was 16 the future top law enforcement officer of the nation and his younger brother Peter became victims of a gunman who had invaded the Comey home in suburban New Jersey locked them in the bathroom at gunpoint and ransacked the house. Comey and his brother called the police and they helped the police artist make a sketch of the intruder. This led to the arrest of a wanted criminal known as the Ramsey Rapist who had raped teenaged babysitters. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Trump DENIES obstructing justice by quoting OJ Simpson s... The couple that carpools together...! Ivanka Trump sports a... He said I hope this goes away : Lewandowski doesn t dispute... Donald Trump Jr tells Sean Hannity that his father s legal... Share this article Share 826 shares Years later on 60 Minutes the newly appointed FBI Director recalled the incident. We escaped he caught us again we escaped again so it was a pretty horrific experience. Frightening to anybody but especially for a younger person to be threatened with a gun and to believe you re going to be killed by this guy. It most affects me in giving me a sense of what victims feel. Even the notion that no one was physically harmed doesn t mean no one was harmed because I thought about that guy every night for five years It made me a better prosecutor and investigator to feel better what victims experience.
Doug Mills the New York Times photographer who captured yesterday s viral image of James B. Comey the former F.B.I. director seated before the Senate Intelligence Committee is no stranger to the political spotlight. Since joining The Times in 2002 Mr. Mills has photographed presidential administrations and the spectacles surrounding them in Washington aboard Air Force One and in Afghanistan among countless other locales. What follows is a lightly edited Q. and A. about his coverage Thursday from Capitol Hill.Your photograph of Mr. Comey took the internet by storm especially on Reddit where it earned more than 60 000 upvotes. How did it come together?I knew it wouldn t be a contentious or heated hearing or at least I didn t expect it to be. Mr. Comey had handed out his testimony the day before so some of the air was already out of the balloon. And for me what that meant was: A tight shot showing one of Mr. Comey s facial expressions wasn t likely to be the most intriguing picture. (When hearings become heated and contentious many times the witnesses become angry and their faces show a lot more emotion.) I got to the hearing room early shortly after 5 a.m. and set up three remote cameras: one behind the chairman; one in the well looking up at Mr. Comey s chair; and one way in the back looking out over the whole room.With hearings like this one I have to preconceive of the scene. I make a layout in my mind of everything that s going to happen: the moment he arrives the moment he sits down the moment he raises his hand to be sworn in. And I set up my cameras to capture all those moments to be fired remotely all at the same time. (When I fired the picture of Mr. Comey surrounded by the press I had the three other cameras firing too.) Advertisement Continue reading the main story I put my fourth camera up on a full-length monopod and held it as high as I could. I pre-focused the shot ahead of time and spent a little time making sure the image would be sharp. And as more people arrived I thought There s no way I can t put all these photographers into the foreground of the picture. So I took three or four steps back and zoomed out a bit.I wasn t sure how well things would line up where Mr. Comey would be or what would be behind him. But as it turned out he was perfectly framed by the chairs behind him. Even before I looked at the picture I thought Wow this is going to be nice. Continue reading the main story
Photo Stephen Colbert said of James Comey s testimony: He thought Trump might lie? That s that razor-sharp F.B.I. instinct. Credit CBS Welcome to Best of Late Night a rundown that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. What do you think of it? What else are you interested in? Let us know: thearts@nytimes.com. St. Comey s Day Stephen Colbert declared it St. Comey s Day on The Late Show on Thursday revisiting the dramatic moments in the Senate testimony of James B. Comey the former F.B.I. director that morning.At one point Mr. Colbert showed a clip of Mr. Comey explaining why he kept written records of all his meetings with President Trump: for fear that Mr. Trump might lie about their conversations. He thought Trump might lie? That s that razor-sharp F.B.I. instinct in action right there. Look fellas I don t want to get out over my skis here but I think this dead body might not be alive. STEPHEN COLBERT Comey wrote everything down and all his memos are going to be collected in a new children s book James and the Guilty Orange. STEPHEN COLBERT Video by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert At one point in his testimony Mr. Comey said When I was appointed F.B.I. director in 2013 I understood that I served at the pleasure of the president. Mr. Colbert offered an addendum: And then when I read the Russia dossier I saw what gave the president pleasure and I thought oh no. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Surrounded by Previous Bombshells Video by Late Night With Seth Meyers Seth Meyers said that amid a constant barrage of outrageous news viewers might not have even noticed how unprecedented much of what Mr. Comey discussed at the hearing was. Now if it feels to you like there weren t any new bombshells today that s because we are already surrounded by previous bombshells. Our capacity to be shocked has already been so worn down by the Trump presidency he s like your druggie cousin who can no longer surprise you. Kevin traded Aunt Janet s cat for Robitussin. Uh-huh. Did he. SETH MEYERSJust a Normal Thursday? Video by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon An official with the Trump administration played down the significance of Thursday s hearing. But Jimmy Fallon wasn t so reassured. A White House spokesperson said today is a regular Thursday at the White House. America was like Yeah that s what worries us. JIMMY FALLONThe Punchiest Punchlines ( Piña Collusion Edition) Producers have announced that they are suspending production of The Real Housewives of Toronto. Apparently the show didn t work because every argument ended in You know what? You re right. I m sorry. SETH MEYERS This moment today is what I love about America. During a great moment of consequence for your democracy everyone is like Let s make zany cocktails yeah! Can I get a Comey-politan and a Piña Collusion and two Mai Tais to Russia please. Thank you! TREVOR NOAH commenting on the number of bars that opened early for the hearingsThe Bits Worth WatchingFinishing his run of three shows in London James Corden put an 1980s twist on a classic of the English theater. Video by The Late Late Show With James Corden Conan O Brien saw an opportunity and he took it. Video by Team Coco Enjoy the WeekendHave a good weekend and try to spend a few minutes thinking about something other than the Comey testimony.Also Check This Out Photo Within James B. Comey s mild-mannered delivery there was considerable fire. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times Watching the Comey hearing and thinking about the broad American audience that was tuning in our TV critic was reminded of Watergate. Continue reading the main story
Photo James B. Comey the former F.B.I. director testified before Congress and discussed his meetings and phone calls with President Trump leading up to his dismissal. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times Listen and subscribe to our podcast from your mobile device: On iPhone or iPad | On Android via RadioPublic | Via Stitcher James Comey s testimony on Thursday reveals that the leak of a James Comey memo was orchestrated by ... James Comey.We discuss why the former F.B.I. director leaked the memo and the sequence of events he intentionally set in motion to get that memo to The Times.On today s episode: We analyze Mr. Comey s Senate http://thoughtforthequotes.deviantart.com/journal/Thought-for-the-day-life-quotes-Anxiety-Treatments-683843819 testimony with Matt Apuzzo who covers law enforcement and security matters. Michael Schmidt the reporter to whom Mr. Comey leaked his memo through a friend describes how that went down. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Background reading: A full transcript of Mr. Comey s testimony. Watch: video highlights of Mr. Comey s testimony and our major takeaways.Tune in and tell us what you think. Email us at thedaily@nytimes.com. Tweet me at @mikiebarb. And if that isn t enough we can even text.How do I listen?If you don t see an audio player on this page or to subscribe to The Daily for free follow the instructions below.On your iPhone or iPad:Open the preloaded app called Podcasts; it has a purple icon. If you re reading this from your phone tap this link which will take you straight there. (You can also use the magnifying glass icon to search; type The Daily. )Once you re on the series page you can tap on the episode title to play it and tap on the subscribe button to have new episodes sent to your phone free.Or if you prefer another podcast player you can find The Daily there. (Here s the RSS feed.)On your Android phone or tablet:You can listen and subscribe using the free app RadioPublic which is available worldwide. If you re reading this from your phone tap this link to play the latest episode and learn more about the app.Or if you prefer another podcast player you can find The Daily there. (Here s the RSS feed.) Advertisement Continue reading the main story From a desktop or laptop:Click the play button above to start the show. Make sure to keep that window open on your browser if you re doing other things or else the audio will stop. You can always find the latest episode at nytimes.com/thedaily.On Amazon Echo Echo Dot or Tap:Open the Alexa app. From the navigation panel on the left select settings then flash briefing then get more flash briefing content. Look for The New York Times and select enable skill. Now you can say Alexa what s my flash briefing? and you will hear that day s episode of The Daily. On Google Home:You can say O.K. Google play New York Times news to listen to that day s episode of The Daily. THE DAILY: Theo Balcomb senior producer; Andy Mills producer; Sam Dolnick contributing editor; Peter Sale sound engineer. NYT AUDIO: Lisa Tobin executive producer; Samantha Henig editorial director; Pedro Rosado studio manager. Continue reading the main storyLONDON Here is what we know so far about the eight people killed in an attack in London on Saturday night when three men in a van drove into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing several people in nearby Borough Market.All the victims have been publicly identified by British officials. Here are their stories.Christine Archibald 30 Photo Christine Archibald Credit Archibald Family via Reuters Christine Archibald a Canadian living in the Netherlands had come to London with her fiancé for a romantic weekend and was walking across London Bridge on Saturday when a white van veered off the road smashing into her.Ms. Archibald was the first victim to be publicly identified and her final moments were recounted in a Facebook post by her fiancé s brother Tyler Ferguson. Mr. Ferguson s sister said Ms. Archibald died at the scene in her fiancé s arms. They were not married yet the sister Cassie Ferguson Rowe said in an interview on Facebook Messenger. They were in the midst of planning their wedding and future together. Ms. Archibald known as Chrissy had worked at a homeless shelter in Canada before moving to the Netherlands with Mr. Ferguson who is also Canadian and had moved to The Hague for work. Her family urged people to volunteer their time and labor or to donate to a homeless shelter in her memory. We grieve the loss of our beautiful loving daughter and sister the Archibald family said in a written statement. She had room in her heart for everyone and believed strongly that every person was to be valued and respected. Kirsty Boden 28 Photo Kirsty Boden Credit Metropolitan Police Kirsty Boden a nurse from Australia who worked at Guy s Hospital in London died while rushing to help the wounded on London Bridge. As she ran towards danger in an effort to help people on the bridge Kirsty sadly lost her life her family said in a written statement. We are so proud of Kirsty s brave actions which demonstrate how selfless caring and heroic she was not only on that night but throughout all of her life. Eileen Sills the chief nurse at Guy s and St. Thomas NHS Foundation Trust described Ms. Boden as an outstanding nurse who always went the extra mile in her duty of care. Ms. Boden s colleagues described her as one in a million Ms. Sills said.Alexandre Pigeard 26 Photo Alexandre Pigeard Credit Pigeard Family via Agence France-Presse Getty Images Alexandre Pigeard a French waiter was stabbed to death while serving customers at a bistro in Borough Market.Mr. Pigeard came to London nine months ago to improve his English his father Philippe Pigeard said in an interview with Agence France-Presse. He described his son as a shining young man. In a résumé published online Alexandre Pigeard described himself as amicable energetic and versatile but only after first touting his small mustache. Alexandre was a marvelous son a perfect older brother and a radiant young man much loved by all who had the good fortune to meet him his family wrote in a statement released by the police. All his friends praised his kindness his good humor and his generosity. Sebastien Belanger 36 Photo Sebastien Belanger Credit Metropolitan Police Sebastien Belanger a Frenchman was living in London and working as a chef. He was confirmed by the police to be one of the victims of Saturday s attack but few details were provided.A friend who was with him Saturday night described in a Facebook post how Mr. Belanger became separated from their group during the chaos of the attack. They had been at the Boro Bistro in the Borough Market area.Sara Zelenak 21 Photo Sara Zelenak Sara Zelenak who moved to London in March to work as a nanny was the second Australian to be identified as having died on Saturday.Her death was confirmed via Facebook Messenger by her aunt Tara Jane who described Ms. Zelenak as the most beautiful funny happy and positive young lady who had so much to live for. Ms. Zelenak was separated from her friends during the attack.Ignacio Echeverría 39 Photo Ignacio Echeverría Credit Isabel Echeverría via Associated Press Ignacio Echeverría a banker from Spain was skateboarding along London Bridge when the attack unfolded. Witnesses said he was attacked as he tried to use his skateboard to defend a woman who had been stabbed. We were at Borough Market deciding what to eat his friend Harry Barnett wrote in a message. We saw some of the stabbings and ran and we saw Ignacio run towards one of the guys with his board. Mr. Echeverría s death was confirmed by the Spanish Foreign Ministry and his sister who wrote in a Facebook post: My brother Ignacio tried to stop terrorists and lost his life trying to save others. The banker known to loved ones as Igna moved to London in February 2016 to work for HSBC. Mr. Echeverría grew up and studied in Madrid but he spent most of his summers in Comillas a seaside town in northern Spain. He loved this place so much that he was buying his own flat there his friend Guillermo González-Arnao Beneyto said. He had given a deposit and the deal was supposed to be finalized this week or the next. James McMullan 32 Photo James McMullan Credit Press Association via Associated Press James McMullan lived in the Hackney area of London and was remembered by his sister as a family man.His sister Melissa McMullan said that he was a hard worker and was set to start a new online business in the next few weeks. He was a really good person and he didn t deserve to die not alone Ms. McMullan said through sobs during an interview with Sky News. Nowhere else will you find such humor and unique personality with someone who puts friends and family above all else. Mr. McMullan was last seen by friends outside the Barrowboy & Banker pub around the time that the attackers van crossed London Bridge. He had stepped outside to smoke. Remember that hatred is the refuge of small-minded individuals and will only breed more the family wrote in a statement released by the police. This is not a course we will follow despite our loss. Words will never be able to match his essence; there will only ever be one James. Xavier Thomas 45 Photo Xavier Thomas Credit Metroplitan Police Xavier Thomas was visiting London with his girlfriend from their home in France. http://yarp.com/8cbb3e0fc597 The pair were strolling along London Bridge and were struck by the attackers vehicle and thrown into the Thames according to the BBC.Mr. Thomas s body was recovered by the police on Tuesday and he was the final victim to be formally identified by the Metropolitan Police of London.His family paid tribute to him in a written statement and described him as a dedicated father with a curiosity about the world. The things that were important to Xavier were his children and his work his daughter Noémie Thomas wrote. Xavier would not be content with a quiet life he needed to always discover more. She added He was very faithful to people. Mr. Thomas s girlfriend Christine Delcros who was injured in the attack wrote a tribute to her partner. Xavier my love my sun you have marked my heart forever she wrote adding I will cherish you intensively in my heart and that way our love will link us forever. Craig S. Smith and Megan Specia contributed reporting from New York. Continue reading the main story
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The family of a French tourist killed in the London Bridge attack have paid tribute to a true ray of sunshine after his body was recovered from the river Thames on Wednesday. Xavier Thomas 45 was apparently knocked from London Bridge into the river as the attackers drove into pedestrians at the start of their rampagebefore attacking people with knives in Borough Market. He was visiting London with his partner Christine Delcros 45 who was seriously injured in the attack. Thomas a sales manager from the Paris region was named as the eighth victim of the attacks this week and the police have now formally confirmed his identity. His daughter Noémie Thomas 24 said: The things that were important to Xavier were his children and his work. Xavier would not be content with a quiet life he needed to always discover more and he would include his children as soon as possible. Xavier was not attached to material things. He preferred to discover other cultures and other countries. He was very faithful to people; many professional encounters have often developed into friendships. Delcros said: Xavier my love my sun you have marked my heart forever as no one had been able to before. I will cherish you intensively in my heart and that way our love will link us forever. You have been a father who did everything for his children and such a caring lover to me that you could only be loved. I wish during these difficult times to pay tribute to the exceptional man you were and will still remain for us all. I love you. Your Christine. Delcros s twin sister Nathalie Brohan said: Xavier you were a true ray of sunshine for my sister and for us all. You were such a beautiful person so endearing. You always said: What matters in life is to live every moment of life as intensively as possible to never have any regrets . Your philosophy of life must remain an example to live for us all because life is a precious jewel. Dozens of people were injured during the attack in which the three attackers were shot dead by the police. The London Evening Standard has reported that all 48 people who were hospitalised have survived including 21 who were at first judged as being in a critical condition. The other victims of the attack have been named as Sébastien Bélanger 36 and Alexandre Pigeard 27 both from France; Ignacio Echeverría 39 from Spain; Sara Zelenak 21 and Kirsty Boden 28 both from Australia; Christine Archibald 30 from Canada; and James McMullan 32 from Hackney.
Details have emerged of the final heroic moments of Ignacio Echeverría the 39-year-old Spaniard who used his skateboard to take on the London Bridge terrorists. Echeverría who was from Madrid but lived in London and worked for HSBC has been hailed as the skateboard hero because of his efforts to fight back against the attackers. Guillermo Sánchez a fellow Spaniard who had been skating near Tate Modern with Echeverría and another friend told Spain s El País that the trio had been on their way to have dinner in Whitechapel when they came across a man staggering through Borough Market. At first they thought he was drunk but then they saw a police officer collapse to the ground and a woman being assaulted. I m focusing on her and then suddenly I see that Ignacio s there starting to hit the attackers with his skateboard Sánchez told the paper. Then he falls to the ground I don t know how I don t know if he s slipped or whatever but he falls. After what Sánchez described as microseconds he saw Echeverría lying on his back while one of the attackers stabbed him and the others stood close by. He said the terrorists were armed with carving knives. The last thing I remember is Ignacio lying there still conscious and clutching his skateboard. Fearing for his life Sánchez threw the bike he had been riding at the attackers and ran off with his other friend. They tried to turn back to help Echeverría but were moved away by police. In the aftermath of the attack still in shock they tried to find Echeverría through the Spanish embassy and the emergency helpline numbers. The next day still looking for him they got in touch with one of his sisters on Facebook. On Wednesday afternoon almost four days after the atrocity that left eight people dead and 42 injured the Spanish government and Echeverría s family confirmed that he had died. In a post on Facebook his sister Isabel wrote: My brother Ignacio tried to stop the terrorists and lost his own life trying to save others. Ignacio we love you and we will never forget you. Another sister Ana posted: Ignacio didn t survive the moment of the attack. Thank you to all those who love and cared about him. We know we are not the only ones saddened. Speaking in London on Thursday morning Ana Echeverría said that the manner of Ignacio s death and the reactions it had elicited meant that something very sad and very tough is turning into something more beautiful and magnificent which makes us love our brother our family our friends and our country even more . The family said they had been hoping to bring Ignacio s body home on Friday but had been told that they might have to wait until next Tuesday. The family thanked the Spanish government for its support and said they had been deeply touched by the responses of the people of London and of many strangers. In a statement the Spanish foreign ministry said it had received confirmation of Echeverría s death with great sadness and dismay . It added: The government wishes to tell his family and friends that they are not alone in their pain and that Spain is with them sharing their sense of desolation and standing by them at this terrible time. Spain s prime minister Mariano Rajoy said Echeverría s heroic actions would never be forgotten adding that he would be honoured posthumously for his bravery. Pedro Sánchez the leader of the Spanish Socialist party offered his condolences while Pablo Iglesias the head of the Podemos party called Echeverría an example of heroism and solidarity . Echeverría s family and the Spanish government had previously expressed frustration over the delay in establishing his fate. Speaking at a press conference during a visit to Moscow earlier on Wednesday the country s foreign minister Alfonso Dastis said he was rather baffled that the British authorities had not been able to clarify the situation more than three days after the London Bridge attacks. It s really hard to understand the delay he said. We can respect whatever protocols need to be observed but you have to think of the situation the family who are also victims is going through. It s a situation that isn t far off being described as inhumane. Dastis had already raised the matter with his UK counterpart Boris Johnson asking him to speed up the identification process so as not to add to the pain and anguish of the families . On Monday he told the Spanish news agency Efe: We re pushing the British authorities because frankly this isn t the kind of thing that can go on and on.
Get daily updates directly to your inbox SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe try again laterInvalid EmailTerrorist Rachid Redouane rented a top floor bedsit as a safe house where the London Bridge attackers plotted the deadly attacks Scotland Yard said. Redouane rented the property in east London in April using it to plan the massacre with Khuram Shazad Butt and Youssef Zaghba. They pretended to family they were moving to explain why they had rented a white van which they then used to drive into pedestrians detectives believe. When anti-terror police raided the bedsit they found an English-language copy of the Koran opened at a page describing martyrdom. They also found pieces of cloth on the floor that appeared to have been cut from grey jogging bottoms six half-litre water bottles two five-litre water bottles smelling of petrol and a bottle of lighter fluid. Read More London Bridge attackers spent two hours cruising the streets in their van before they struck Redouane rented the property in east London in April using it to plan the massacre (Photo: PA) There were also rolls of black and silver duct tape belts correspondence including bank and ID cards belonging to Redouane and a box containing paraphernalia such as phone charger cables packets of superglue luggage straps pieces of rubber and plastic retractable craft knives. The three were shot dead after murdering eight with a van on London Bridge before attacking people in Borough Market with knives on Saturday night. Describing how the attack unfolded Scotland Yard said: The attackers first drove southbound onto London Bridge at 9.58pm. They drove off the bridge turned round and drove back northbound up the bridge again. Once at the north end the attackers did a U-turn and drove back southbound fatally and purposely driving into pedestrians as they did so. They then crashed into railings outside the Barrowboy and Banker pub. Here the men abandoned the van and ran off to Borough Market where they began to stab members of the public. All had been wearing hoax suicide belts consisting of plastic water bottles wrapped in grey duct tape and had been armed with pink 12 inch ceramic knives found near their bodies. There were a number of office chairs and a suitcase inside the van as cover for moving house (Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA) The killers had wound duct tape around the handles and in Butt s case a leather strap had been attached to the handle and was hung around his wrist. The knives branded Ernesto are sold in German-budget supermarket Lidl and detectives have issued appeals if anyone saw the trio or accomplices buy them. Commander Dean Haydon head of the Met s Counter Terrorism Command said: We ve been working round the clock to understand what these men did in the lead-up to the attack but we need to know more about these unusual knives. One of the knives used in the London Bridge attacks (Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA) Where have they come from? Where might the attackers have bought them from? If you know anything about these particular types of knives please let us know - it could prove a crucial lead in our investigation. Detectives are also continuing to appeal for witnesses to the incident itself and released images of the white Renault van registration HN66 TKX used by the three. Inside the van forensic officers found 13 wine bottles with rags wrapped around them and believed to be filled with a flammable liquid and two blow torches. There were also a number of office chairs and a suitcase which detectives understand were used as a cover telling family they were using the van to move. The three were shot dead after murdering eight in a frenzied attack on streets of London (Photo: Daily Express) There were also gravel bags which police believed were used to weigh the vehicle down or as a cover story to explain away why they had hired the van. Counter terrorism officers have so far spoken to 262 people from 19 different countries. Of these 78 are significant witnesses. Commander Haydon continued: Many witnesses we ve spoken to have provided extremely helpful accounts of the attack but we are still missing pieces of the picture. My officers are particularly keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the white van targeting individuals on London Bridge saw the suspects attacking members of the public or saw armed police engaging the suspects. Redouane was married to British partner Charisse O Leary (Photo: Daily Mirror) Detectives investigating the attack have arrested 18 people five of which remain in custody with the remaining 13 released with no charge. They have also searched 12 properties in Barking and Ilford including the bedsit. Scotland Yard confirmed: It s believed that the bedsit was the attackers safe house where the three men planned and prepared the attack. Detectives expect to make more arrests and search further addresses in the coming days as their fast-moving investigation continues. Read More Chilling pictures of weapons used by London terror attackers including knives bound with straps and Molotov cocktails Youssef Zaghba one of the London Bridge terrorists (Photo: Handout) Khuram Butt plotted with the other two in a bedsit rented by Redouane (Photo: PA) Security measures have been stepped up across London with protective barriers being installed at eight bridges across London to maintain security at these venues. Police are considering the use of barriers and other security measures at crowded and iconic locations across London and continue to review security at events over the summer. They are also continuing to work with haulage and vehicle rental companies to develop a greater understanding of potential risks and suspicious activity they should look out for. Commander Haydon urged the public to be vigilant whether at home at work or out socialising: If you see something unusual or suspicious; if it just doesn t look or feel right then trust your instincts and please report it.
The ringleader of the London Bridge atrocity tried to hire a 7.5-ton lorry just hours before the deadly attack it was revealed last night.Investigators suspect Khuram Butt 27 wanted to kill and maim as many people as possible. But the martial arts expert s bank card was declined forcing him to use a smaller B&Q van at the last minute.As counter-terrorist police warned Britain faces an unprecedented risk of further vehicle attacks shocking new details of the plot emerged: The Metropolitan police have released photos of the attackers 12-inch ceramic knives. All three carried the same weapon which they bound to their wrists with shoelaces Detectives are appealing for help trying to trace the ceramic knives which do not trigger metal detectors and can be bought for as little as 4.99All three attackers carried identical 12-inch razor-sharp pink ceramic knives with hand-made leather grips bound to their wrists by shoelaces;Their Renault van was packed with sacks of gravel and chairs possibly to increase its weight as a battering ram ;Police also found 13 Lidl wine bottles filled with lighter fuel and topped with rags to use as Molotov cocktails as well as two blow torches to ignite them;The trio used a flat above a bookmakers as a safe house leaving behind a copy of the Koran open on a passage about martyrdom. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Police investigating Borough Market terror attacks arrest... London bridge terrorist s sister says they fell out over her... Share this article Share A week after eight people were killed and dozens injured in the attack on the capital police believe the three terrorists acted alone. Butt and his fellow extremists Rachid Redouane 30 and Youssef Zaghba 22 killed three people as their van drove through crowds on London Bridge.After crashing into barriers the trio fled the vehicle in separate directions murdering five more before regrouping in Borough Market. After crashing the trio fled in different directions before regrouping in Borough Market where they were confronted by armed police. Police believe the attackers were planning to return to their van after their knifing frenzy and launch a second wave of attack with petrol bombsIt was here that the suspected suicide bombers died in a hail of 46 bullets in chaotic scenes as they were confronted by eight police marksmen.Each man was wearing a home-made fake suicide vests constructed from plastic water bottles black and silver duct tape and belts. Police believe they were planning to return to the van and launch a second wave of attacks with the potentially deadly petrol bombs.Investigators have now discovered that Butt a member of hate preacher Anjem Choudary s inner circle attempted to hire a 7.5-ton lorry earlier that day. Officer found 13 wine bottles that had been filled with lighter fuel and topped with rags to use as petrol bombs. Investigators say the trio of Khuram Butt Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba scouted targets on London Bridge before they began the attackWhen his bank card was declined he asked neighbours where he could hire a van at short notice.Police said a white B&Q branded vehicle was loaned at 6.30pm from a location in Harold Hill Romford using a recently activated mobile phone. It was then driven to Zaghba s address in Barking East London and then toured London before the fatal attack was launched just before 10pm.Incredibly CCTV shows the trio drove up and down the bridge to scope targets before suddenly performing a U-turn and driving into innocent pedestrians. The van was loaded down with gravel and chairs to increase the van s weight as a battering ram . Police believe the three acted alone but are holding 18 people suspected of having knowledge of their plans and aiding them financiallyDetectives are appealing for help to trace the distinctive exceptionally sharp ceramic kitchen knives used by the attackers which would not trigger metal detectors.It emerged last night the knives may have been bought for as little as 4.99 each. There were on offer at Lidl between May 4 and 10.Police also discovered that a bedsit above a branch of Paddy Power in Barking East London was used as a safe house after being rented by Redouane in April.Officers found rags similar to those in stuff the Molotov cocktails as well as the same water bottles used in the suicide vests . There were also craft knives phone chargers bottles of superglue pieces of rubber and plastic and rolls of duct tape.When the bedsit was raided by armed police earlier this week a young woman wearing pink hot pants was arrested and another man tried to escape through a window. https://www.lomography.com/homes/thoughtforquotes Commander Dean Haydon who is responsible for Scotland Yard s counter-terrorism command said Britain faced an unprecedented terrorist threat. A Lidl bottle fashioned into a petrol bomb by the three attackers and a police photo of the back of the van. Officers say Britain is now in unprecedented times and are currently running 500 investigations into 300 peopleHe warned that although the three men are believed to have acted alone further arrests will be made. He said some of the 18 people held over the London Bridge attack were suspected of having knowledge of their plans giving them money or encouraging them. We are in unprecedented times he said. At the moment we are doing everything we can alongside the security services to stop would-be attackers and keep the public safe. We have foiled 13 plots since mid-2013 and since the Westminster attack alone we have prevented and disrupted five attacks but three have got through. The tempo we are working to is extraordinary. We are running 500 investigations into 300 people at any one time.
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The family of a French tourist killed in the London Bridge attack have paid tribute to a true ray of sunshine after his body was recovered from the river Thames on Wednesday. Xavier Thomas 45 was apparently knocked from London Bridge into the river as the attackers drove into pedestrians at the start of their rampagebefore attacking people with knives in Borough Market. He was visiting London with his partner Christine Delcros 45 who was seriously injured in the attack. Thomas a sales manager from the Paris region was named as the eighth victim of the attacks this week and the police have now formally confirmed his identity. His daughter Noémie Thomas 24 said: The things that were important to Xavier were his children and his work. Xavier would not be content with a quiet life he needed to always discover more and he would include his children as soon as possible. Xavier was not attached to material things. He preferred to discover other cultures and other countries. He was very faithful to people; many professional encounters have often developed into friendships. Delcros said: Xavier my love my sun you have marked my heart forever as no one had been able to before. I will cherish you intensively in my heart and that way our love will link us forever. You have been a father who did everything for his children and such a caring lover to me that you could only be loved. I wish during these difficult times to pay tribute to the exceptional man you were and will still remain for us all. I love you. Your Christine. Delcros s twin sister Nathalie Brohan said: Xavier you were a true ray of sunshine for my sister and for us all. You were such a beautiful person so endearing. You always said: What matters in life is to live every moment of life as intensively as possible to never have any regrets . Your philosophy of life must remain an example to live for us all because life is a precious jewel. Dozens of people were injured during the attack in which the three attackers were shot dead by the police. The London Evening Standard has reported that all 48 people who were hospitalised have survived including 21 who were at first judged as being in a critical condition. The other victims of the attack have been named as Sébastien Bélanger 36 and Alexandre Pigeard 27 both from France; Ignacio Echeverría 39 from Spain; Sara Zelenak 21 and Kirsty Boden 28 both from Australia; Christine Archibald 30 from Canada; and James McMullan 32 from Hackney.
Details have emerged of the final heroic moments of Ignacio Echeverría the 39-year-old Spaniard who used his skateboard to take on the London Bridge terrorists. Echeverría who was from Madrid but lived in London and worked for HSBC has been hailed as the skateboard hero because of his efforts to fight back against the attackers. Guillermo Sánchez a fellow Spaniard who had been skating near Tate Modern with Echeverría and another friend told Spain s El País that the trio had been on their way to have dinner in Whitechapel when they came across a man staggering through Borough Market. At first they thought he was drunk but then they saw a police officer collapse to the ground and a woman being assaulted. I m focusing on her and then suddenly I see that Ignacio s there starting to hit the attackers with his skateboard Sánchez told the paper. Then he falls to the ground I don t know how I don t know if he s slipped or whatever but he falls. After what Sánchez described as microseconds he saw Echeverría lying on his back while one of the attackers stabbed him and the others stood close by. He said the terrorists were armed with carving knives. The last thing I remember is Ignacio lying there still conscious and clutching his skateboard. Fearing for his life Sánchez threw the bike he had been riding at the attackers and ran off with his other friend. They tried to turn back to help Echeverría but were moved away by police. In the aftermath of the attack still in shock they tried to find Echeverría through the Spanish embassy and the emergency helpline numbers. The next day still looking for him they got in touch with one of his sisters on Facebook. On Wednesday afternoon almost four days after the atrocity that left eight people dead and 42 injured the Spanish government and Echeverría s family confirmed that he had died. In a post on Facebook his sister Isabel wrote: My brother Ignacio tried to stop the terrorists and lost his own life trying to save others. Ignacio we love you and we will never forget you. Another sister Ana posted: Ignacio didn t survive the moment of the attack. Thank you to all those who love and cared about him. We know we are not the only ones saddened. Speaking in London on Thursday morning Ana Echeverría said that the manner of Ignacio s death and the reactions it had elicited meant that something very sad and very tough is turning into something more beautiful and magnificent which makes us love our brother our family our friends and our country even more . The family said they had been hoping to bring Ignacio s body home on Friday but had been told that they might have to wait until next Tuesday. The family thanked the Spanish government for its support and said they had been deeply touched by the responses of the people of London and of many strangers. In a statement the Spanish foreign ministry said it had received confirmation of Echeverría s death with great sadness and dismay . It added: The government wishes to tell his family and friends that they are not alone in their pain and that Spain is with them sharing their sense of desolation and standing by them at this terrible time. Spain s prime minister Mariano Rajoy said Echeverría s heroic actions would never be forgotten adding that he would be honoured posthumously for his bravery. Pedro Sánchez the leader of the Spanish Socialist party offered his condolences while Pablo Iglesias the head of the Podemos party called Echeverría an example of heroism and solidarity . Echeverría s family and the Spanish government had previously expressed frustration over the delay in establishing his fate. Speaking at a press conference during a visit to Moscow earlier on Wednesday the country s foreign minister Alfonso Dastis said he was rather baffled that the British authorities had not been able to clarify the situation more than three days after the London Bridge attacks. It s really hard to understand the delay he said. We can respect whatever protocols need to be observed but you have to think of the situation the family who are also victims is going through. It s a situation that isn t far off being described as inhumane. Dastis had already raised the matter with his UK counterpart Boris Johnson asking him to speed up the identification process so as not to add to the pain and anguish of the families . On Monday he told the Spanish news agency Efe: We re pushing the British authorities because frankly this isn t the kind of thing that can go on and on.
Get daily updates directly to your inbox SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe try again laterInvalid EmailTerrorist Rachid Redouane rented a top floor bedsit as a safe house where the London Bridge attackers plotted the deadly attacks Scotland Yard said. Redouane rented the property in east London in April using it to plan the massacre with Khuram Shazad Butt and Youssef Zaghba. They pretended to family they were moving to explain why they had rented a white van which they then used to drive into pedestrians detectives believe. When anti-terror police raided the bedsit they found an English-language copy of the Koran opened at a page describing martyrdom. They also found pieces of cloth on the floor that appeared to have been cut from grey jogging bottoms six half-litre water bottles two five-litre water bottles smelling of petrol and a bottle of lighter fluid. Read More London Bridge attackers spent two hours cruising the streets in their van before they struck Redouane rented the property in east London in April using it to plan the massacre (Photo: PA) There were also rolls of black and silver duct tape belts correspondence including bank and ID cards belonging to Redouane and a box containing paraphernalia such as phone charger cables packets of superglue luggage straps pieces of rubber and plastic retractable craft knives. The three were shot dead after murdering eight with a van on London Bridge before attacking people in Borough Market with knives on Saturday night. Describing how the attack unfolded Scotland Yard said: The attackers first drove southbound onto London Bridge at 9.58pm. They drove off the bridge turned round and drove back northbound up the bridge again. Once at the north end the attackers did a U-turn and drove back southbound fatally and purposely driving into pedestrians as they did so. They then crashed into railings outside the Barrowboy and Banker pub. Here the men abandoned the van and ran off to Borough Market where they began to stab members of the public. All had been wearing hoax suicide belts consisting of plastic water bottles wrapped in grey duct tape and had been armed with pink 12 inch ceramic knives found near their bodies. There were a number of office chairs and a suitcase inside the van as cover for moving house (Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA) The killers had wound duct tape around the handles and in Butt s case a leather strap had been attached to the handle and was hung around his wrist. The knives branded Ernesto are sold in German-budget supermarket Lidl and detectives have issued appeals if anyone saw the trio or accomplices buy them. Commander Dean Haydon head of the Met s Counter Terrorism Command said: We ve been working round the clock to understand what these men did in the lead-up to the attack but we need to know more about these unusual knives. One of the knives used in the London Bridge attacks (Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA) Where have they come from? Where might the attackers have bought them from? If you know anything about these particular types of knives please let us know - it could prove a crucial lead in our investigation. Detectives are also continuing to appeal for witnesses to the incident itself and released images of the white Renault van registration HN66 TKX used by the three. Inside the van forensic officers found 13 wine bottles with rags wrapped around them and believed to be filled with a flammable liquid and two blow torches. There were also a number of office chairs and a suitcase which detectives understand were used as a cover telling family they were using the van to move. The three were shot dead after murdering eight in a frenzied attack on streets of London (Photo: Daily Express) There were also gravel bags which police believed were used to weigh the vehicle down or as a cover story to explain away why they had hired the van. Counter terrorism officers have so far spoken to 262 people from 19 different countries. Of these 78 are significant witnesses. Commander Haydon continued: Many witnesses we ve spoken to have provided extremely helpful accounts of the attack but we are still missing pieces of the picture. My officers are particularly keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the white van targeting individuals on London Bridge saw the suspects attacking members of the public or saw armed police engaging the suspects. Redouane was married to British partner Charisse O Leary (Photo: Daily Mirror) Detectives investigating the attack have arrested 18 people five of which remain in custody with the remaining 13 released with no charge. They have also searched 12 properties in Barking and Ilford including the bedsit. Scotland Yard confirmed: It s believed that the bedsit was the attackers safe house where the three men planned and prepared the attack. Detectives expect to make more arrests and search further addresses in the coming days as their fast-moving investigation continues. Read More Chilling pictures of weapons used by London terror attackers including knives bound with straps and Molotov cocktails Youssef Zaghba one of the London Bridge terrorists (Photo: Handout) Khuram Butt plotted with the other two in a bedsit rented by Redouane (Photo: PA) Security measures have been stepped up across London with protective barriers being installed at eight bridges across London to maintain security at these venues. Police are considering the use of barriers and other security measures at crowded and iconic locations across London and continue to review security at events over the summer. They are also continuing to work with haulage and vehicle rental companies to develop a greater understanding of potential risks and suspicious activity they should look out for. Commander Haydon urged the public to be vigilant whether at home at work or out socialising: If you see something unusual or suspicious; if it just doesn t look or feel right then trust your instincts and please report it.
The ringleader of the London Bridge atrocity tried to hire a 7.5-ton lorry just hours before the deadly attack it was revealed last night.Investigators suspect Khuram Butt 27 wanted to kill and maim as many people as possible. But the martial arts expert s bank card was declined forcing him to use a smaller B&Q van at the last minute.As counter-terrorist police warned Britain faces an unprecedented risk of further vehicle attacks shocking new details of the plot emerged: The Metropolitan police have released photos of the attackers 12-inch ceramic knives. All three carried the same weapon which they bound to their wrists with shoelaces Detectives are appealing for help trying to trace the ceramic knives which do not trigger metal detectors and can be bought for as little as 4.99All three attackers carried identical 12-inch razor-sharp pink ceramic knives with hand-made leather grips bound to their wrists by shoelaces;Their Renault van was packed with sacks of gravel and chairs possibly to increase its weight as a battering ram ;Police also found 13 Lidl wine bottles filled with lighter fuel and topped with rags to use as Molotov cocktails as well as two blow torches to ignite them;The trio used a flat above a bookmakers as a safe house leaving behind a copy of the Koran open on a passage about martyrdom. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Police investigating Borough Market terror attacks arrest... London bridge terrorist s sister says they fell out over her... Share this article Share A week after eight people were killed and dozens injured in the attack on the capital police believe the three terrorists acted alone. Butt and his fellow extremists Rachid Redouane 30 and Youssef Zaghba 22 killed three people as their van drove through crowds on London Bridge.After crashing into barriers the trio fled the vehicle in separate directions murdering five more before regrouping in Borough Market. After crashing the trio fled in different directions before regrouping in Borough Market where they were confronted by armed police. Police believe the attackers were planning to return to their van after their knifing frenzy and launch a second wave of attack with petrol bombsIt was here that the suspected suicide bombers died in a hail of 46 bullets in chaotic scenes as they were confronted by eight police marksmen.Each man was wearing a home-made fake suicide vests constructed from plastic water bottles black and silver duct tape and belts. Police believe they were planning to return to the van and launch a second wave of attacks with the potentially deadly petrol bombs.Investigators have now discovered that Butt a member of hate preacher Anjem Choudary s inner circle attempted to hire a 7.5-ton lorry earlier that day. Officer found 13 wine bottles that had been filled with lighter fuel and topped with rags to use as petrol bombs. Investigators say the trio of Khuram Butt Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba scouted targets on London Bridge before they began the attackWhen his bank card was declined he asked neighbours where he could hire a van at short notice.Police said a white B&Q branded vehicle was loaned at 6.30pm from a location in Harold Hill Romford using a recently activated mobile phone. It was then driven to Zaghba s address in Barking East London and then toured London before the fatal attack was launched just before 10pm.Incredibly CCTV shows the trio drove up and down the bridge to scope targets before suddenly performing a U-turn and driving into innocent pedestrians. The van was loaded down with gravel and chairs to increase the van s weight as a battering ram . Police believe the three acted alone but are holding 18 people suspected of having knowledge of their plans and aiding them financiallyDetectives are appealing for help to trace the distinctive exceptionally sharp ceramic kitchen knives used by the attackers which would not trigger metal detectors.It emerged last night the knives may have been bought for as little as 4.99 each. There were on offer at Lidl between May 4 and 10.Police also discovered that a bedsit above a branch of Paddy Power in Barking East London was used as a safe house after being rented by Redouane in April.Officers found rags similar to those in stuff the Molotov cocktails as well as the same water bottles used in the suicide vests . There were also craft knives phone chargers bottles of superglue pieces of rubber and plastic and rolls of duct tape.When the bedsit was raided by armed police earlier this week a young woman wearing pink hot pants was arrested and another man tried to escape through a window. https://www.lomography.com/homes/thoughtforquotes Commander Dean Haydon who is responsible for Scotland Yard s counter-terrorism command said Britain faced an unprecedented terrorist threat. A Lidl bottle fashioned into a petrol bomb by the three attackers and a police photo of the back of the van. Officers say Britain is now in unprecedented times and are currently running 500 investigations into 300 peopleHe warned that although the three men are believed to have acted alone further arrests will be made. He said some of the 18 people held over the London Bridge attack were suspected of having knowledge of their plans giving them money or encouraging them. We are in unprecedented times he said. At the moment we are doing everything we can alongside the security services to stop would-be attackers and keep the public safe. We have foiled 13 plots since mid-2013 and since the Westminster attack alone we have prevented and disrupted five attacks but three have got through. The tempo we are working to is extraordinary. We are running 500 investigations into 300 people at any one time.

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