SANA MAHMOOD

LONDON: Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (COBRA*) meeting with the PM in chair is scheduled to take place this afternoon to discuss today’s rush-hour IED explosion on a train at Parsons Green Station that injured 22 commuters (apparently trampled as they fled).

IED: Burning bucket with wires.Commuters seen evacuating the carriage!

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Commenting on the terrorist attack PM Theresa May  stated: “My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident.”

Terming the IED attack as hideous terrorism Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “We will never be defeated.”

Mayor Khan, who  will be attending emergency COBRA meeting in Whitehall, earlier told that the Metropolitan Police has confirmed that the said explosion was being treated as terrorism. 

“Our city utterly condemns the dangerous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life.As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism”, the Mayor said. 

Sadiq Khan further informed: “I am in close contact with the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, Government and other emergency services who are responding at the scene and leading the investigation”. 

Urging all Londoners to remain calm and vigilant Mayor Khan said: “My sincere gratitude goes to all our courageous emergency responders and the TfL staff who were first on the scene”.

Assistant Director of Operations at London Ambulance Service informing that they were called at 8.20am to reports of an incident at Parsons Green underground told: ” We have sent multiple resources to the scene including single responders in cars, ambulance crews, incident response officers and our hazardous area…” .

London Fire Brigade also told about attending an incident at Parsons Green tube station. 

Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn stated: “Thoughts with those injured in Parsons Green terrorist incident, and thanks to police, ambulance staff and firefighters who are responding.”

He will not be attending today’s COBRA meeting but will receive a separate briefing with confidential information on the attack.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson suggested that people should keep calm and go about their normal lives”. 

Commuters while talking to Newspakistan.tv recalled hearing an explosion in a carriage of the train just after 8am.

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* COBRA is convened as part of civil emergencies committee that plans Govt. responses in such situations.