A man has been arrested on suspicion of terror offences after three people were injured when a car crashed into security barriers outside Parliament. The silver Ford Fiesta hit cyclists and pedestrians at 7.37am before crashing into the security barriers. Sky sources say the suspect - a man in his 20s - has been identified and is known to police in the Midlands, where he is from. Three people were treated at the scene, two of whom were taken to hospital. A woman has serious but not life-threatening injuries while a man has been discharged. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Westminster crash: Handcuffed man led away The driver, wearing a white shirt and a black hooded puffer jacket, was detained at the scene. Advertisement The man was led backwards away from the car - which was registered in Nottingham - after police held him at the scene for a few moments. The Metropolitan Police said: "There was nobody else in the vehicle, which remains at the scene and is being searched. No weapons have been recovered at this stage." Image: The damage to the front of the car is clearly seen from the air Image: Forensics officers are at work at the scene In a statement, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: "There is no intelligence at this time of further danger to Londoners or to the rest of the UK connected to this incident. "Our priority is to formally establish the identity of the suspect and his motivation if we can. He is not currently co-operating." He said it appeared the suspect had not previously been known to MI5. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Crash 'appears to be deliberate act' A number of armed officers appear to have now been stood down at the scene, and forensics officers have begun investigations. A later update added: "While we are keeping an open mind, the Met's counter-terrorism command is leading the investigation into the #Westminster incident." The Met has appealed for information from anyone nearby at the time of the incident. Video shows the car driving next to Parliament Square, before turning toward Westminster Abbey. This footage shows the moment a car appears to deliberately drive through cyclists and crash into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament Read more on the story here: https://t.co/GYpGx05O8K pic.twitter.com/0XYkEyXmn6 — Sky News (@SkyNews) 14 August 2018 An ambulance passes the car on its right-hand side, and the car swerves left, crossing oncoming traffic and the pavement, before crashing into the barrier. A police officer jumps out of the way as the crash happens. :: Westminster crash: What we know so far British Transport Police said they would have more officers on patrol around the country after the incident. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Armed police at Westminster car crash Superintendent Chris Horton said: "We know incidents such as this are likely to cause concern, so our officers will be highly visible both on board trains and at stations. "We are there to reassure the travelling public so please don't be alarmed if you see our officers, including firearms officers, on your journey." One witness said he saw the car hit a cyclist, before accelerating toward the barriers and hitting them. Image: Bicycles on the pavement near the scene of the incident Image: Police patrol the area after another terror attack in the heart of the capital Mark White, Sky's home affairs correspondent, said: "Eyewitnesses are telling us this vehicle was travelling at speed, headed onto the opposite side of the road where a number of cyclists were waiting at the traffic lights, heading into Parliament Square. "The vehicle then collided with those cyclists before crashing into the security barrier." Witness Ewalina Ochab said: "I think it looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Police jump barrier to Westminster crash She added: "I was walking on the other side [of the road]. I heard some noise and someone screamed. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement." The suspect did not get out of the car, she added. According to witnesses, cyclists were seen "lying in the road" after the crash. Image: Police vehicles blocked roads after the incident Westminster station was closed for a period of time, while streets around Parliament Square, Millbank and Victoria Tower Gardens were cordoned off but are now starting to reopen. A police vehicle removal truck was waved through at about 12.30pm. Parliament is in summer recess, and so there are fewer politicians working in London, but there are numerous other people working nearby. MI5's headquarters is also nearby. Image: A police sniffer dog checked the scene after the crash One man who witnessed the crash told Sky News it was "very very dramatic". He added: "I seen smoke coming out of a vehicle. It's all been high speed - you've got the specialists coming in… it's been dramatic." :: Parliament crash: Witness describes 'speeding car then a scream' Bus driver Victor told Sky News: "I stopped the bus because of the crash, and police told us to move back. "I think it's not a regular traffic accident, because there's a barrier there. So I don't know why someone would drive into the barrier." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Westminster crash scene from above A COBRA meeting was scheduled to take place at 2pm, but no cabinet ministers were expected to attend. Prime Minister Theresa May said: "My thoughts are with those injured in the incident in Westminster and my thanks to the emergency services for their immediate and courageous response." Donald Trump tweeted: "Another terrorist attack in London... These animals are crazy and must be dealt with through toughness and strength!" Sky's policing analyst Graham Wettone said: "The officers will be looking at the actual scene itself, the route the vehicle came in and trying to establish who is behind it and the reason why - and if there is any support network helping this individual - or if it's just literally someone who has had a road traffic collision. "That vehicle is likely to remain in place - they want to make sure it's got nothing in it that's suspicious before they go in and examine it. "In any incident like this… we've got so many other important venues and locations, they will be increasing visibility and security patrols just to make sure nothing else happens." Steel and concrete barriers were added outside Parliament after the 2017 Westminster Bridge terror attack.<doc-sep>An alleged terrorist drove around London for almost eight hours before ploughing into cyclists and smashing his car into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, police have said. Officers guarding the area had to leap out of the car’s path before armed colleagues rushed to detain the driver early on Tuesday morning. Witnesses said the suspect, a 29-year-old British man, was silent as he was arrested and he has “not been cooperating” with questioning as police work to establish his motive. Investigators said he had driven from Birmingham late on Monday and arrived in the capital just after midnight. The silver Ford Fiesta was spotted in the central Tottenham Court Road area – a famous shopping and nightlife district – from 1.25am until around 6am. It was then driven to Westminster and circled around the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall until the crash shortly after 7.30am. Footage showed the car sharply swerving through several cyclists and pedestrians, over central reservations and down the wrong side of the road at high speed before crashing into security barriers. The car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament (PA) It struck during parliament’s summer recess and ahead of the daily rush of tourists to the area, leaving it relatively deserted. Three people suffered non life-threatening injuries in the attack, including a man and woman who needed hospital treatment but have since been discharged. As the suspect remained in police custody, searches spread to two properties in Birmingham and one in Nottingham. Labour MP Roger Godsiff confirmed the suspect was from his Hall Green constituency, and he is believed to have been known to West Midlands Police. Theresa May vowed that terrorists would “never succeed” in dividing Britain, after Donald Trump took to Twitter to blame “crazy animals” for the attack. Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu, the head of UK counterterror policing, said: “Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident ... no other suspects at the scene have been identified or reported to the police. “There is no intelligence at this time of further danger to Londoners or the rest of the UK connected to this incident.” Mr Basu said his team’s current priority was to formally identify the suspect “and establish his motivation if we can – he is not currently cooperating”. He added: “We don’t believe this person was known to either MI5 or counterterror policing”. Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Show all 30 1 /30 Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers by the car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man Sky News Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers work at the scene EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Damaged bikes near the crash site Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man who crashed a car into the barriers ITV Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity outside the Houses of Parliament after a car crashed into security barriers BBC/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Bicycles lie on the ground at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator arrives at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police and emergency response teams work outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The area is cleared near to the incident PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator works at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police on Victoria Embankment PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensic officer attends the scene near the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers and a search team secure the roads around the Houses of Parliament as forensic teams continue their work around a vehicle Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police forensics officers outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The car crashed into parliament barriers Vincent McAviney/NBC News/Euronews/Twitter/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Fire fighters attend the scene Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A police dog team works behind the cordon REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament olice and emergency services respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police on Westminster Bridge PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police stand in the street after the incident Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers stand at a cordon Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity on Millbank PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters Ben Wallace, the security minister, said the suspect was a “British citizen who came from another country originally”. “The Palace of Westminster and what it stands for – our values, our tolerance, our liberal society – is always going to be a target for those people whose beliefs we directly challenge,” he added. “That’s why we’ve seen attacks here against us, either previous plots or actual attacks carried out. Investigators said no one else was in the vehicle and no weapons had been recovered amid ongoing searches. Recommended Police officer killed in Westminster attack honoured for bravery According to open source data, the car used in the attack is a 2010 Ford Fiesta Zetec, which was first registered near Nottingham. It displayed a sticker with the website of a car dealership that had 11 branches across the north of England, in Yorkshire, Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside. Barry Williams, a BBC employee who works near the scene of the crash, said he heard screams. “The car went onto the wrong side of the road to where cyclists were waiting at lights and ploughed into them,” he added. “Then it swerved back across the road and accelerated as fast as possible and hit the barrier at full pelt. “It was a small silver car and he hit it at such speed the car actually lifted off the ground and bounced. “Then the police just jumped. Two officers managed to leap over the security barriers and then the armed police vehicles all sped towards the scene.” (Graphic News (Graphic News) Jason Williams told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme the driver had “driven at speed – more than 40mph”. He added: “I was told basically to move away, to run. I have run for my life ... it looked deliberate, it didn’t look like an accident”. Following a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee, the prime minister described the incident as “shocking” and said: “For the second time in as many years the home of our democracy, which is a potent symbol for our precious values of tolerance and freedom, has witnessed terrible scenes just yards from its doors. “My thoughts are with the innocent members of the public who were hurt in this appalling incident. I wish them a speedy recovery and we must be thankful that nobody suffered life-threatening injuries. “I also wish to praise the formidable courage of our emergency services, who were on the scene immediately and in significant numbers. “Once again, they did not flinch and ran towards a dangerous situation in order to protect the public. The country is hugely grateful for their calmness and professionalism.“<doc-sep>LONDON -- A motorist slammed into pedestrians and cyclists near Britain's Houses of Parliament on Tuesday and police are treating the incident as an act of terror.A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of terrorist offenses after the silver Ford Fiesta collided with rush-hour commuters before slamming into a barrier. Two people were hurt, but authorities said none of the injuries is life-threatening.Armed police swooped into the area, cordoning off streets surrounding the heart of Britain's government. Police appealed to the public to stay away, and the Westminster subway station was closed.Several eyewitnesses said the driver's actions were deliberate. "The car drove at speed into the barriers outside the House of Lords. There was a loud bang from the collision and a bit of smoke," Ewelina Ochab told The Associated Press. "The driver did not get out. The guards started screaming to people to move away. "Jason Williams also saw a car moving at high speed. "It looked deliberate. It didn't look like an accident," he said. "How do you do that by accident? It was a loud bang. "The incident heightened tensions in a city that has seen four vehicle-based terror attacks in less than 18 months.The area was the site of a terror attack in March 2017, when Khalid Masood ploughed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing four people. Masood abandoned his car and then stabbed and killed a police officer before being shot dead in a courtyard outside Parliament.------<doc-sep>
Police flooded central London streets and cordoned off the city's government district Tuesday, after a speeding car plowed into cyclists and crashed outside Parliament in what authorities were treating as an act of terrorism. With the driver in custody, counterterror detectives were working to uncover the motive behind what they suspect is the fourth vehicle attack in Britain — and the second on Parliament — in 18 months. "Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident," Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, Britain's top counterterrorism officer, told reporters. The moment a car hits the barriers outside U.K. Parliament World 0:24 A man has been detained on suspicion of terrorism offences 0:24 A rooftop camera recorded the silver Ford Fiesta driving past Parliament and suddenly veering sharply to the left, striking cyclists waiting at a set of lights, then crossing the road and crashing into a barrier outside Parliament. Armed police surrounded the car within seconds, pulling a man from the vehicle. Police said the driver was alone and no weapons were found in the car. Three people were hurt, none critically. Police arrested the 29-year-old driver, a resident of England's Midlands region who was not previously known to counterterrorism police or the intelligence services. Basu said the suspect was not co-operating with police. Security Minister Ben Wallace said the man, whose name was not released, was a British citizen originally from another country. Police said the car was driven from Birmingham in central England to London late Monday and was in central London for more than seven hours before the crash. Detectives were searching two properties in Birmingham and one in another Midlands city, Nottingham. Threat level 'severe' Police said they did not believe there was any ongoing threat from Tuesday's incident. After a meeting of the government's crisis committee, COBRA, officials said Britain's terrorism threat level would remain at "severe," meaning an attack is highly likely. It has briefly been raised to the highest level, "critical," after some previous attacks. Prime Minister Theresa May, who was on vacation in Switzerland, praised "the formidable courage of our emergency services and urged the public "to remain vigilant — but also to come together and carry on as normal." "The twisted aim of the extremists is to use violence and terror to divide us," May said in a statement. "They will never succeed." Police cars and ambulances flooded London's government district just after 7:30 a.m. local time, after witnesses reported seeing a silver car traveling at high speed hit pedestrians and cyclists, then crash into a barrier designed to protect Parliament from vehicle attack. One injured person was treated at the scene and two were taken to local hospitals, where they were treated and released. "The car drove at speed into the barriers outside the House of Lords. There was a loud bang from the collision and a bit of smoke," Ewelina Ochab told The Associated Press. "The driver did not get out. The guards started screaming to people to move away." "It didn't look like an accident," said Jason Williams, who lives nearby. "How do you do that by accident?" Bicycles lie abandoned on the ground near where the car crashed. (Frank Augstein/Associated Press) Latest in series of attacks The early morning scenes brought a sickly sense of déjà vu to many Londoners. Last year alone, the city was hit by three deadly attacks. In March 2017, Khalid Masood plowed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing four people, then fatally stabbed a police officer before being shot dead in a courtyard outside Parliament. Less than three months later, a van rammed into pedestrians on London Bridge before three men abandoned the vehicle and attacked weekend revelers in the nearby Borough Market. Eight people were killed and 48 injured. In June 2017, a far-right extremist drove a van into a crowd of worshippers leaving a London mosque, killing one man. Police in London point guns at vehicle, handcuff man after attack World 1:07 Man arrested after vehicle swerves into opposite lane outside British Parliament, hitting cyclists and pedestrians 1:07 That attack followed the suicide bombing a month earlier at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester that killed 22 people. British authorities say the threat is not diminishing. Since March 2017 they have foiled 13 Islamist-inspired plots and four far-right plots, and currently have 676 live counterterrorism investigations, officials said Tuesday.