Johnson on London Bridge Attack: People Convicted of Terrorism Offences Shouldn't Be Released Early

The knife attack on Friday claimed the lives of three people, including the perpetrator, who was released from prison nearly a year ago after serving a seven-year term.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated on Saturday that the government wants to toughen sentences for violent crimes after a fatal London Bridge stabbing attack carried out by a convicted terrorist who was wearing a hoax suicide vest.

"I think that the practice of automatic, early release where you cut a sentence in half and let really serious, violent offenders out early simply isn't working, and you've some very good evidence of how that isn't working, I am afraid, with this case", he stressed, noting that people convicted on terrorism offences should not be released before they serve their full term.

The scene on London Bridge in the aftermath of a reported shooting, in London, Britain, November 29, 2019 in this still image obtained from a social media video.

© REUTERS / LUKE POULTON

The man who stabbed two people to death and injured three others has been identified as 28-year-old Usman Khan – a member of an al-Qaeda-inspired* group.

He and his accomplices were plotting to bomb the London Stock Exchange and establish a terrorist camp in Pakistan in 2010, but after being arrested Khan was sentenced to 16 years in prison. However, police confirmed that he was released on license in December 2018 – after serving only seven years.

The attacker was initially stopped by three unidentified men, who managed to tackle and disarm him.

*al-Qaeda is a terrorist group banned in Russia