For the third time since late 2015, a terrorist attack coincided with European football on international break. The Paris attacks on Friday the 13th, November 2015 included three explosions occurring outside the Stade de France.
France were playing Germany in an international football friendly at the time of the terrorist bombing. Another atrocity occurred in March of 2016 in Brussels, again during an international break, and yesterday’s Westminster attack occurred on the one year anniversary.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the awful, deplorable act of terrorism, but showed no proof. The attacker, now deceased, was identified at 52-year Khalid Masood, a Kent native who recently lived in the West Midlands. He was reportedly an Islamist radical, and his immoral acts claimed the lives of three people, including a police officer, and injured 40.
Here’s more on what facts are known and not known at this time via CNN:
London attacker identified as 52-year-old Khalid Masood. He had previous convictions for violence https://t.co/NJjj1AuD0o pic.twitter.com/hB9I0IUiKX
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 23, 2017
Masood’s attack occurred in both the heart of British government, and the most globally well known area in the United Kingdom. It’s a very high traffic area for both government officials and world wide tourists. All eyes are on London now in the current news cycle.
London club West Ham United tweeted this statement of solidarity shortly after the attacks on the 22nd, and made it the “pinned tweet;” thus is remains at the top of West Ham United official account:
The thoughts of everyone at West Ham United are with those affected by today's terrible incidents in Westminster
— West Ham United (@WestHam) March 22, 2017
Another London club, Tottenham Hotspur posted this tweet At 4:43 A.M. local on the 23rd.
The thoughts of everyone at the Club are with all those affected by yesterday's incident in Westminster. #WeStandTogether
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 23, 2017
As of publication time, Chelsea, Arsenal and Crystal Palace had not Tweeted anything in response to the London terrorist attacks.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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