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British PM vows to fight terror 'whoever is responsible'

May referred to the attacks in London and Manchester this year have killed 35 people and injured around 200

Afp June 19, 2017

britain 039 s prime minister theresa may leaves after speaking outside 10 downing street following the attack at finsury park mosque in central london britain june 19 2017 photo reuters

Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May, leaves after speaking outside 10 Downing Street, following the attack at Finsury Park Mosque, in central London, Britain June 19, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to fight terrorism and extremism "whoever is responsible", after a white van driver ploughed through a crowd of Muslim worshippers near a London mosque on Monday.

Speaking outside her Downing Street residence, May said the attack was "a reminder that terrorism, and hatred take many forms and our determination to tackle them must be the same, whoever is responsible".

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May said the attack was "every bit as sickening as those that have come before", referring to three Islamist-inspired attacks in London and Manchester this year that have killed 35 people and injured around 200.

The attack "targeted the ordinary and the innocent... this time British Muslims as they left the mosque," she said, adding that police would provide any additional protection needed for mosques.

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"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," she said.

"There has been far too much tolerance of extremism... including Islamophobia," she said, announcing the creation of a new commission to fight extremism in the same way as racism.