London Bridge attacker said 'this is for Islam' before stabbing my son, mother says
The mother of a 23-year-old who was stabbed in the London Bridge terror attack has said he was approached by a man who said "this is for Islam" before stabbing a knife in him.
Elizabeth O'Neill said her son Daniel had stepped out of a bar when a man ran up to him and attacked him.
Speaking outside King's College Hospital where her son is being treated, she said: "He had just stepped outside the bar for a second and a man ran up to him and said 'this is for my family, this is for Islam' and stuck a knife straight in him.
"He has got a seven-inch scar going from his belly round to his back."
Ms O'Neill said her son, who was on a night out with his girlfriend, went in to the pub after the attack and the man ran away.
She added: "There was shots fired, everybody was told to lie down and then they were told to go downstairs in the bar.
"At this stage, Daniel's friend had put a tourniquet on him and was holding pressure there."
She said he was taken downstairs and then the police took him in their car to the hospital and that she was trying to find those officers to thank them.
She added: "The police have been absolutely fantastic, the nurses, staff have been absolutely, absolutely amazing."
She said she and her son, who was able to talk to her, were still in shock and described the attacks as "absolutely senseless" and the attackers as "callous and barbaric" and "absolute cowards".
She added: "These people say they are doing it in the name of god which is an absolute joke."
Asked about her son's condition, she said: "We are not sure yet, the ultrasounds were good but he is still quite sick so we can't rule out any kidney damage."