Frank Gardner
BBC Security Correspondent

The latest terror attack to strike the UK leaves the effort to combat extremism at "a dangerous juncture," the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner says.

He says it risks "playing right into the hands of those planning further attacks on vulnerable citizens in the UK".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has now arrived at Finsbury Park Mosque, where he will attend 13:30 BST prayers.

Image source, Reuters

Theresa May has arrived at the Finsbury Park mosque in north London near the scene of the attack.

Cherry Wilson
BBC News

Many locals point to the streets and the various ethnicities of people walking around as an indication of the diverse make up of this area.

Professor Paul Gilroy says: "I feel horror and sympathy that this has happened.

"This is the heart of London. The only word you can use is it's a convivial area. People come together. People have suffered here, we've had it all.

"There's a loving, joyful community here that will keep people safe."

Locals stand in the shade close to the police cordon as they take in the aftermath of the attack.

The sweltering heat does not deter leaders from various faiths gathering round to show their solidarity with the Muslim community.

Image source, Reuters

Mendy Korer, the Rabbi of Islington, says: "This is a great community to live in. There's so many different types of nationalities and faith groups. We all understand each other.

"Locally here over the past few years there's been a lot of effort to ensure cohesion. There's been a lot of effort with the council and faith groups to open our doors to really tackle the possibility of people dwindling into misunderstanding.

"An event like this shakes us up. For me this is now about showing solidarity and support.

"We mourn together."

Imam Qari Asim, a member of the government's anti-Muslim hatred working group, said: "It's important that we seek out those who incite hatred, of whatever form, to challenge and condemn their vile actions.

"There can be no tolerance of religious hatred in our country.

"Given that there has been a five-fold increase in anti-Muslim hatred since the London Bridge attack, Muslims are deeply concerned and anxious about growing levels of Islamophobia.

"But we must remain calm and vigilant, and increase security around mosques.

"We must stand together to drown out extremism and hatred with hope and unity."

Image source, Reuters

Kevin Hurley, a former counter terrorism officer with City of London Police, said officers would be dealing with this like any other murder by gathering forensics, speaking to witnesses, and finding out if the suspect is linked to other attackers by speaking to his family, friends and work colleagues.

He also expressed scepticism that more officers on the streets would help keep people safe.

"To be quite clear about it, there are more than 500 mosques in London alone and hundreds and hundreds of Muslim centres so it’s simply not realistic to have officers outside all of them.

"And of course, in this type of attack, people patrolling out on the street are completely ineffective.

"The only way you can stop someone in a vehicle like this is with barriers and by being able to shoot them by reacting immediately."

Image source, PA

Image source, PA

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "Like everybody else, I am appalled, horrified and heartbroken at news of another apparent terrorist attack in the heart of London.

"This was a senseless and horrific attack on Muslims leaving prayers in a mosque and our attitude and response to that should just be as serious and as steadfast as our response to those who carry out such attacks supposedly in the name of Islam.

"Whether extremists and terrorists, who are a tiny minority in our society, are attacking Muslims or attacking in the name of Muslims, all of us must be absolutely resolute that our wonderful, diverse, multicultural society will not be divided, because that's what the terrorists seek to do and we must be absolutely resolute in our determination not to allow them to succeed."

Brendan Cox, the widower of murdered MP Jo Cox, has told the BBC News Channel that "fear of the other" is the driving force over these attacks.

"The hatred we’ve seen in the last day and that drove the attack in Manchester, essentially they are the same people who hate the other, who don’t believe that people of different backgrounds, faith, races, should mix.

"What we need to show, is that in fact we can, we do.

"We as a country need to get much better at showing that and showing frankly how much we do have in common."

In a statement, the Welsh company, which owns the van used in the attack, has paid tribute to those affected.

"We at Pontyclun Van Hire are shocked and saddened by the incident that took place at Finsbury Park last night.

"We are co-operating fully with the Metropolitan Police Investigation and our thoughts are with those who have been injured in this cowardly attack.

"We will not be making any further statement because of the ongoing police investigation but will continue to assist the police in any way we can."

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Cherry Wilson
BBC News, at Finsbury Park

There is a sense among some of the community that an attack like this was inevitable.

Nasser Alyarimi, 18, knows people who worship at the mosque close to where the attack took place.

He said: "There's been lots of incidents taking place. Someone I know was thrown down the stairs and had beer poured over her headscarf just because she is Muslim.

"So I'm not surprised that Muslims have been targeted like this. When I'm on a train in my traditional clothes I get lots of looks.

"Islamaphobia has definitely increased.

"Only an individual with such low intellect would do this. The thought makes me really sad. I would say don't put religion in the same category as a terror attack."

One of those injured in the attack has returned to the scene on crutches and sits alongside friends at one of the cafes open along the high street.

They talk about the reaction to the incident and question why it was not labelled a terror attack much earlier.

One friend, who asked not to be named, said. "I'm really upset. I feel let down by the government that we are being portrayed as savages that we are not.

"They've portrayed us as if we walk around killing infidels. Just because one or two people believe that it doesn't mean the whole Muslim community does".

Speaking after the emergency meeting of the government's Cobra committee, Theresa May said the UK's determination to tackle extremism shouldn't depend on who carries out the act.

"This was an attack on Muslims near their place of worship and like all terrorism, in whatever form, it shares the same fundamental goal.

"It seeks to drive us apart and to break the precious bonds of solidarity and citizenship that we share in this country. We will not let this happen.

"It is a reminder that terrorism, extremism, hatred take many forms and our determination to tackle them must be the same whoever is responsible.

"There has been far too much tolerance of extremism in our country over many years and that means extremism of any kind including Islamophobia."

"Freedom of speech," she said, "the freedom to live how we choose and yes, the freedom to practise religion in peace" must all be protected.

"This morning we have seen a sickening attempt to destroy those freedoms, and to break those bonds of citizenship that define the United Kingdom."

One mosque is attacked every two weeks in the UK according to Tell MAMA,, external which records anti-Muslim incidents in the UK.

Criminal damage and vandalism are the most common recorded problems, according to the data, but some are sent material including flammable goods.

• Police declared a terrorist incident within eight minutes
• Extra police resources have already been deployed
• Police will continue to assess security around mosques

• Reviewing counter terrorism strategy to ensure police and security services have what they need, plus measures to tackle all forms of extremism

Image source, PA

Journalist Richard Suchet tweets...

Officers at the scene in Finsbury Park have taken part in a minute's silence to pay tribute to the victims and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire. The toll from that disaster has now risen to a total of 79 dead or presumed dead.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Amrik Singh, chairman of the Sikh Federation UK, said: "The incidents in the last three months suggest there needs to be an honest dialogue and a fundamental shift in the way government tackles all forms of hate and terror.

"Hate and terror must be stamped out by directly confronting all those who promote an ideology and philosophy based on hate and terror."

More from Sajid Javid speaking to the BBC News Channel:

"Clearly, from what we’ve seen and what we know already, this is a hate crime attack.

"Absolutely unacceptable in any community and I want to make sure that every community in Britain but particularly right now Britain’s Muslim community feels has all the support that it needs and I want to give them maximum reassurance."

Image source, PA

Sajid Javid, the Communities Secretary, visiting the scene, has expressed sympathy with the victims and their family and friends.

He added that he wanted to reassure the Muslim community that the government supported them and would have zero tolerance of all types of hate crime.

"The person who perpetrated this attack, his sole purpose like the attacks we’ve seen in Manchester dreadfully and in London recently is to try and divide our society and that will fail. These perpetrators will never succeed," he said.

Finsbury Park station has shared its quote of the day with a message of strength following the incident.

Image source, Finsbury Park