At least four people have died and 40 have been injured after an attacker drove a car along a pavement on Westminster Bridge. The attacker then left the vehicle, approached a police officer and stabbed him. The police shot the assailant moments later. The police officer who died as a result of the attack was named as PC Keith Palmer, 48, a husband and father.
The UK Prime Minister Theresa May said the attack was "sick and depraved" and struck at values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech.
Hours after the incident, Channel 4 News named Abu Izzadeen as the perpetrator of the terror incident. Izzadeen, formally known as Trevor Brooks, is said to be currently serving time in prison and considered to be a man with "extremist views."
The programs news editor Ben de Pear was forced to issue an apology after the channel's senior home affairs correspondent, Simon Israel named Abu Izzadeen. As a result Mr. Israel was forced to retract his early statement by saying that his "trusted source" had given him incorrect information.
"During the course of the program, conflicting information came to light. Channel 4 News is currently looking into this," Mr. Israel said in a TV statement.
From certainty to uncertainty, good illustration of why we mustn't rush to judgement on id of suspect from @simonisrael on @Channel4News. pic.twitter.com/8YJaH7QbTu
— Gordon MacMillan (@gordonmacmillan) March 22, 2017
The correspondent was then forced to tweet that he had made a mistake.
The source I trusted, but ultimately I made a mistake. This time I got it wrong. Abu Izzadeen is in prison.
— simon israel (@simonisrael) March 22, 2017
However experts say that this goes far deeper than just a simple mistake, some believe that news outlet's desire to break the news first has led to misinformation.
Roshan Salih, editor of 5 Pillars, a digital magazine that discusses British Muslims' issues, has tweeted that the Channel 4 News mistake is far more sinister.
How about journalists shut the hell up and avoid dangerous speculation until real facts emerge about this attack?
— Roshan M Salih (@RmSalih) March 23, 2017
In an interview with Sputnik, Mr. Salih said that journalists are under immense pressure to be first with news.
"Simon Israel is a good guy, he is one of the better ones. He is there to report the truth but he is under pressure to perform and ultimately in the hours after what had happened on March 22, no one had all the information," Mr. Salih told Sputnik. "At the end of the day Israel wanted to get a scoop and be first, but he has discredited his organization and he has also put the lives of Abu Izzadeen's family in danger."
Mr. Salih believes that it is highly likely Izzadeen will sue the news station.
"Abu has a massive claim for damages now, I know him and he does have extremist views, and I do think he will consider suing," Salih added.
"Instead of just waiting to confirm facts these journalists just want to be first and we just play off each other as we are so desperate to be first, these bogus stories spread like wildfire. Journalists should be more humble and admit they don't have the facts yet," Mr. Salih told Sputnik.
Statement from Channel 4 News: pic.twitter.com/MMo1sFu3Mh
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) March 22, 2017
However the UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Metropolitan Police have told Sputnik that they refuse to rule out Abu Izzadeen as the suspect who was killed in the March 22 attack.
The London terror attack is said to be the worst seen in the British capital since July 7 bombings that took place in 2005.
