United States President Donald Trump has promised to prevent future terrorist strikes in the United States, following an horrific attack in central London that left seven people dead and dozens more injured.
“We renew our resolve, stronger than ever before, to protect the United States and its allies from a vile enemy that has waged war on innocent life. And it has gone on too long,” Trump said during a speech in Washington, DC, on Sunday night.
“This bloodshed must end. This bloodshed will end. As president, I will do what is necessary is to prevent this threat from spreading to our shores,” he added.
On Saturday night, three attackers targeted the heart of London. Seven people were killed and 48 injured when the assailants in a white van mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing a police officer and revelers in bars around Borough Market.
Several people of those injured were in a critical condition. Police said they shot dead the attackers.
United States President Trump, who had previously denounced the attack both on Saturday night and Sunday morning on Twitter, said on Sunday he spoke with British Prime Minister Theresa May to express American support.
Shortly after the London attack, Trump used the incident to promote his controversial travel ban on citizens of several predominantly Muslim countries.
“We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!” Trump tweeted on Saturday night.
Last month, a US federal appeals court refused to reinstate Trump’s contentious order, dealing a fresh blow to the American president’s bid to ban Muslims from Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan.
Interestingly, Trump’s travel ban does include citizens of Saudi Arabia and certain other regional countries who are often blamed for supporting the Daesh terrorist group, which has claimed responsibility for the London attack.
In the wake of the London terror attack, Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, said on Sunday that it’s time for the UK to hold “difficult conversations” with Saudi Arabia and certain other Arab states.
“Yes, we do need to have some difficult conversations starting with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states that have funded and fueled extremist ideology,” Corbyn said in Carlisle, north England.