Terrorism

Yesterday was by no means the first time the Houses of Parliament have come under attack, as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was quick to point out, adding that the freedom and democracy were stronger than any adversary.

With us in the studio is Richard Barrett, a former British intelligence officer in charge of counter-terrorism operations who is now the director of the Global Strategy Network.

Westminster Bridge, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. All prime tourist destinations – so it’s perhaps not surprising that the dead and injured came from eleven different countries.

Joining us is Baroness Warsi, conservative peer and former minister of state for Faith and Communities – who has long campaigned for the British Muslim community.

The Prime Minister said Parliament was meeting as normal to deliver a clear message: its “resolve will never waver in the face of terrorism”.

Now to Trafalgar Square, scene of this evening’s vigil, where the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan joins us live.

To Birmingham now, where police officers have been active all day as they seek to find out more about Khalid Masood and any possible associates.

Senior Home Affairs Correspondent Simon Israel on the identity of the attacker.

French police are investigating any possible terror link after a man who tried to steal a soldier’s rifle was shot dead at Orly airport.

Loretta Napoleoni, an expert on terrorist financing who advises several governments and international organisations on counter-terrorism, and the journalist Graeme Wood, who has written extensively about the motivations behind IS.

It was the deadliest terror attack on Britons since the London bombings of 7/7.

Two explosions have killed at least 28 in a busy market in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.  The so-called Islamic state say their combatants targeted shoppers in the Shia district with a car bomb followed by a suicide bomber.

Police have beefed up security arrangements in preparation of the New Year celebrations as a response to the terror attacks in Europe. In Manchester and Edinburgh extra crowd protection will be in place.  While in London, 3,000 officers, many of them armed, will be on the streets.

It didn’t take long after last night’s attack for the backlash to begin: a clamour of protests about Angela Merkel’s open-door policy towards migrants and refugees.This has, after all, been a year when the fear of terror attacks has haunted Europe, a year which has also seen the rise of the populist right.

The only man arrested after last night’s Christmas market attack in Berlin was released within the last hour, as police said they didn’t have enough evidence, admitting “we may still have a dangerous criminal out there”.