Finsbury Park attack: ‘Terrorists will never succeed’

The death of father-of-six Makram Ali and the injury of a dozen others on 19 June last year has been commemorated with a minute’s silence.

Mr Ali’s relatives were invited to gather along with others affected when far-right attacker Darren Osborne drove a hire van on to a crowded pavement intending to kill as many Muslims as possible.

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire and Mr Khan attended the event at Islington Town Hall today, where a silence was held at 9.30am.

London’s mayor sent “prayers, love and thoughts” to all those affected by the attack, adding that the community’s reaction had “inspired us all”.

“It shows our values will always be stronger than the hatred of the extremist,” he said.

“This terrorist attack was an attack on all Londoners.

“Terrorism is terrorism, no matter the target and regardless of what motivates the sick and twisted perpetrators who carry out these evil crimes.”

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour party leader whose constituency the attack happened in, also said “the only response there can ever be to the racists that seek to divide us” was to “come together”.

During his trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Osborne named Mr Khan as someone, along with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, he had wanted to kill.

Islington councillors, local faith and community leaders, and emergency services workers who helped victims after the attack are set to attend the commemoration.

Earlier, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “Last year’s cowardly attack which targeted innocent worshippers leaving Finsbury Park mosque is an attack on all of us.

“As with all acts of terrorism the intention was to divide us but we will not let this happen.

“We are a country of many faiths and freedom of worship and respect for those of different faiths is fundamental to this country’s values and these values will never be broken by vile extremism.”

The prime minister praised the “bravery and spirit of the community that apprehended the attacker”.

She added: “As we remember the victims of this attack, Makram Ali who tragically lost his life, we should take strength that it is London’s diversity and multitude of communities that makes it one of the world’s great cities.”

2:37

At a gathering earlier this month, Mr Ali’s daughter Ruzina Akhtar spoke of her family’s gratitude for the support they had received from the community since her father’s death.

Ms Akhtar addressed those gathered at a street iftar on what was the one-year anniversary of the incident, according to the lunar calendar observed in the Islamic faith.

She said: “We’re very happy to be part of this community and to be in this country with such a loving, diverse community around us.

“And we would just like to thank everyone for their support and the love that they’ve shown and hope they continue to do so.”

The phrase #LondonUnited, which has been used following other terror attacks in 2017, was due to be displayed on the Muslim Welfare House on Monday evening and into the early hours of Tuesday, around the time Osborne committed his crime.

Jobless Osborne, who had been radicalised by far-right material, was jailed for at least 43 years after being found guilty in February of murder and attempted murder.