State Dept. Condemns UK Mosque Attack; President Trump Remains Silent

WASHINGTON, DC — The State Department Monday condemned an apparent attack in United Kingdom over the weekend when a driver hit multiple Muslim worshippers with a car as they exited Ramadan services at a mosque. President Trump, who is known to publicly comment on terrorist attacks on Twitter, has not made any public remarks on the matter.

"The United States strongly condemns last night’s attack that appears to have targeted Muslim worshippers in London," the statement said. "We extend our sympathies to the families and community of the victims and our hopes for the quick recovery of those wounded. We commend the work of the first responders, and the courage of bystanders who apprehended the attacker and held him until authorities arrived. The United States stands ready to provide any assistance that UK officials would find helpful in this difficult time."

It continued: "The United States stands in solidarity with the United Kingdom in the face of this terrorist attack and emphasizes our shared resolve to counter the plague of terrorism."

Though the president remained silent about the attack on social media, his First Daughter Ivanka Trump joined the State Department in condemning the attacks:

A 47-year-old man has been arrested as a suspect in the incident that killed one person and left eight others dead. Witnesses reported that the man said "I want to kill Muslims" after he got out of his car.

At an off-camera press briefing, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, "The President has been made aware of the attack in London and is receiving consistent updates from the staff. His counterterrorism adviser and other senior White House staff continue to track the situation and have been in frequent contact with their British counterparts since it occurred. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and we’ve made it very clear to our British allies that we stand ready to provide any support or assistance that they may need."

In early June, Trump tweeted about another attack in London, which was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State. In those tweets, he lashed out at the London's Mayor Sadiq Khan.

AP Photo/Frank Augstein