The Finsbury Park Mosque terror attack suspect appears to blow a kiss from the back of the Police wagon
The Finsbury Park terror suspect has been described as being a "bloody psycho" who was thrown out of a pub on Saturday night after "cursing Muslims" and vowing to "do some damage".
Father-of-four Darren Osborne, 47, was named as the man accused of ploughing a van into Muslim worshippers in the early hours of Monday morning.
It is alleged that Osborne - who was not known to police and MI5 - hired an £80 ($140)-a-day van from South Wales before driving to the Muslim Welfare House in north London.
There, he is accused of mounting the pavement just metres from the Finsbury Park Mosque and mowing down a group of British Muslims who had been helping an unwell man.
Witnesses say that, after the attack, he shouted "I'm going to kill all Muslims - I did my bit" as he was restrained by members of the community.
Another regular at the pub said: "He's a loud and aggressive person. He's always shouting the odds if anyone disagrees with him."
Osborne, a jobless mechanic, used to host raucous parties with his large family in his back garden in Cardiff, South Wales.
His neighbours said he is a "devoted father" who was last seen taking his children to school on Friday.
On Sunday morning he displayed community spirit by changing a tap in a neighbour's house - but hours later the father of four allegedly drove a rented van into worshippers in the capital.
Police today confirmed 11 people were caught up in the attack, including two who were said to be disabled. A man has since died.
After the attack, his mother said that she had not seen her son in about a month and described him as being a "complex" person.
She said: "I'm not going to defend him, but he's my son and it's a terrible, terrible shock.
"It's not just robbing a bank, it's an atrocity. And at this moment in time, I can't cope with it, I can't. I don't want to say anything more.
"He is disturbed, and has been on medication. He's unemployed at the moment. He's got problems, but he's also got a wife and four kids, and we can't talk to his partner Sarah, she's somewhere safe."
he 47-year-old is believed to have grown up in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, but is now said to live in Cardiff, South Wales. Photo / Facebook
She insisted he had no problems with Muslims and said he had no links with far-right groups, adding that he was not a racist.
In the months before the alleged terrorist attack, Osborne was on a downward spiral and his relationship with the mother of his children was on the rocks, locals said.
Former friends branded Osborne a "bloody psycho" who had been famous for his temper and getting into fights.
And it was claimed that the heavy drinker once beat someone up using a belt buckle.
A former barmaid at Weston-super-Mare's Market House pub said Osborne was a well-known heavy drinker and troublemaker.
The woman, 40, who did not want to be named, said in the 1990s when she was 18, he grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to the wall as she worked.
"As soon as we saw the pictures today we all recognised Darren - everyone knew him years ago because he was so unhinged," she said. "Obviously it's shocking what he's done - but then again it's not surprising he's done something like this because he was always violent and causing trouble.
"He would be troublesome and provocative, he would goad people into wanting to fight and stuff like that. He was chaotic. Sometimes he would come in the pub and sit down and have a drink and be fine, amenable. The next minute he'd be starting a fight."
One woman in Weston-super-Mare said: "The words I would use to describe Darren would be a 'bloody psycho'. He is vile. He would just drink too much and flip the switch I guess. I only witnessed one of his fights. It must have been 15 odd years ago."
A neighbour living close to the mosque in north London, who wished to remain anonymous, today said that the man who was killed was in his 50s and had six children.
They told MailOnline: "He had six children, two of whom were younger and he had a grandson as well. He was very quiet and he didn't even go out for his shopping, he did it all online.
People take part in a vigil at Finsbury Park in north London. Photo / AP
"They are beautiful neighbours, they are very caring and they cook for us at Ramadan. He's an amazing guy and cares about his family. They are devastated by what has happened. People here are very angry."
Another neighbour Kelly Wanie, 33, who has lived in the area for three years, said: "He had a son who used to go to the primary school here, Pools Park, but he is now in Year 7 and my son is in Year 3 so I don't see him anymore.
"He always walked with a stick. His daughter said he's got a heart problem.
"One of his children is 26, and another is 17. He was a very quiet man. He had six children and I think two are married.
"One of his daughters heard what had happened and went down and saw him unconscious.
"He had fallen over and people were giving him water and trying to help him and then the van came from nowhere and drove over his two legs and that's when his daughter saw him lying on the road."
A woman, who is in her 70s, is also believed to have been injured in the attack.
A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, told MailOnline: "Her relatives told us that she was hit by the van and suffered a broken back and broken ribs.
"She is really nice lady and would always say hello. She lived on her in the flat but her family would visit her often."
Today, police were seen standing guard outside a house in Glyn Rhosyn, Pentwyn, where Osborne is believed to have lived with his partner.
Osborne, who was taken to hospital last night as a precaution, was arrested this morning on suspicion of attempted murder.
He has now been further arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism including murder and attempted murder.
According to public records, Osborne was born in Singapore in 1969.
He is believed to have grown up in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, but later moved to South Wales. He is said to have separated from his partner six months ago.
One former school friend, who attended Broadoak Mathematics and Computing College with Osborne, said he had known him for more than three decades.
Referring to a picture of the suspect at the scene of the attack, he told MailOnline: "I've known him for 35 years, I grew up with him. It's 100% him. He lives in Wales, he has four kids and his partner."
Neighbour Pauline Tibbs, 48, said it had been a "terrible shock".
"The police have been back and forth here all day. It's a terrible shock," she said. "I've seen him walking in the street but never spoken to him. He seemed normal enough. He has lived here a couple of years and kept himself to himself."
And another man who lived near Osborne's home said: "I arrived home from work to find the street crawling with police - it's a complete shock."
People take part in a vigil at Finsbury Park. Photo / AP
Osborne is alleged to have hired the van from Pontyclun Van Hire, 15 miles away from his home in the Welsh capital.
Owners at the company today hit out at the "cowardly" attack, saying they were "shocked and saddened" that one of their vehicles was used in the attack.
It is then claimed that he ploughed his white van into a crowd of Ramadan worshippers helping an elderly man who collapsed in the heat, killing one and injuring at least ten more at 12.20am this morning.
The suspect - who suffered a black eye and cuts to his face and hands - was later filmed repeatedly shouting "kill me" to the men who grabbed him.
Officers held back crowds after arresting the terror suspect who was smiling, waving and even blowing kisses, with police today praising the "restraint" shown in aftermath of the van attack.
Witnesses said he "deliberately" drove onto the pavement outside north London's Muslim Welfare House - yards from the Finsbury Park Mosque - and jumped out of the cab shouting "I'm going to kill all Muslims - I did my bit".
But as he tried to run from the scene a group of men gave chase and were filmed pinning the suspect to the floor before dragging him along the road as bodies lay strewn across the ground.
The group were leaving taraweeh, late night prayers observed during the festival of Ramadan, when the van struck. One victim was stuck under its wheels and a group managed to life the vehicle and pull him out.
On Monday evening, hundreds of locals, worshippers and community figures gathered outside Finsbury Park Mosque to show their support after the attack.
Bishop Adrian Newman said: "We can see what a wonderfully diverse community we have here in Islington, and London. An attack on one faith is an attack on all. We stand in solidarity, shoulder to shoulder and side by side."
Rabbi Herschel Gluck added: "The attack last night only affected 10 people but that's only who was affected psychically, it was an attack on every Muslim in the UK and beyond.
"We are one nation, under one God, living together and working together and co-operating together.
"We have to realise that there is more that unites us than divides us."
Councillor Jilani Chowdory said: "It's very important that the community is together and showing solidarity, it's showing the community is very strong."
Abdi, who leads prayers at the mosque, said: "It was good to see people coming together, we live together side by side.
"Terrorism has no religion, whether you are claiming to be Muslim, or Christian or Jewish. Whoever did this is wrong and we have to fight together."
Mahmoud Bin Abdullah, 53, from Enfield: "I think this has united people. It's a sad event but the message getting across is that we are united.
Forensic officers move the van at Finsbury Park. Photo / AP
"It's fantastic when people come together, it's a given a true aspect of Islam that's very welcoming. It was a shock hearing about the attack but sometimes the silver lining is that it will be an eye opener for both sides and they will come to a mutual understanding, no one is a winner and need to unite."
Bhupinder Singh said: "We come together because this is an attack on all faiths. We live in London where there is a multicultural community...the community came together at Grenfell Tower and has done again.
"We need to make sure we carry on and we don't want to give any oxygen to hate. We need to show why we are proud to be Londoners, and come together."
The vigil came as a hero Imam described how he prevented a mob attack on the suspect just moments after Muslim worshippers were mown down outside the mosque.
Muslim leader Mohammed Mahmoud stepped in when an angry crowd attempted to "kick and punch" the suspect as he was being restrained by three men following the suspected terror attack.
Mr Mahmoud said he and a "group of brothers" had managed to "extinguish any flames of mob rule" as members of the public attempted to hurt the alleged terrorist "from every angle".
He added that, despite tensions running high, the suspect - who is white - had come away "unscathed" and remained "calm and silent" as he was arrested by officers.
Mr Mahmoud told the BBC: "By God's grace we managed to surround him and to protect him from any harm.
"We stopped all forms of attack and abuse towards him that were coming from every angle."
Mr Mahmoud said that, while the chaos unfolded, a police car drove past which he and some others managed to flag down.
"We told them the situation," he continued. "We said 'he is restrained, he mowed people down with a van, there is a mob attempting to hurt him, if you don't take him God forbid he might be seriously hurt.
"We pushed people away from him until he was safely taken by police into custody and put in the back of the van.
"It wasn't me alone - there was a group of brothers who were calm and collected and managed to calm people down and to extinguish any flames of anger or mob rule that would've taken charge had this group of mature brothers not stepped in."
Police confirmed that one person - an elderly man was being helped by a group of people after collapsing outside the mosque - has died. Officers are still investigating whether the man's death was linked to the terror attack.
But, today, Mr Mahmoud described how the man had "regained consciousness" moments before the van ploughed into the road.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, centre, and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, right, talk to faith leaders at Finsbury Park Mosque. Photo / AP
He also revealed that the deceased's brother was treated for injuries at the scene.
He said: "The van drove perpendicular to Seven Sisters road. It drove at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the road - it was enough to make some people fly off under the side. 'It dragged two people underneath him - one they were worried might be paralysed because he could not feel his arms and legs."
Earlier, the imam was hailed as the "hero of the day" by Toufik Kacimi, chief executive of the Muslim Welfare House, for calming the angry crowd.
It is claimed he told them: "Don't hit him - you do not touch him - hand him into the police". At the time, the suspect was allegedly shouting: "I want to kill all Muslims - I did my bit" before telling crowds: "Kill me, kill me".
Scotland Yard has since praised the "restraint" of the crowds who protected the alleged killer before the police arrived to arrest him.
As he spoke to cameras, the imam added the community was staying calm in the wake of the attack.
"This community of ours is mild mannered and a calm community, not known for our violence. Our mosques are incredibly peaceful," he said.
"We will do our utmost to calm down any tensions. But, immediately after the incident, people were calm, people were praying for the victims of the attack and everybody knew there was nothing they could do but pray for them."
He added that it had been a "tragic and barbaric attack" while proved that the "demonisation" of the Muslim community was "succeeding".
"To hear him say 'I did my bit' may be proof that this demonisation of the Muslim community by those who wish to divide this city have succeeded to some extent in influencing the vulnerable to think we must be eliminated," he said.
"We just hope that in times of tragedy people come together and unite."
Today, it emerged that police were force to hold back crowds after they arrested the suspect while he smirked and tried to goad witnesses to his Islamophobic attack into killing him.
Scotland Yard has said they are treating the white van attack as a terrorist incident and assistant commissioner Neil Basu today praised the "restraint" of those who detained the suspect at the scene and handed him over to police.
A forensic officer stands at the scene with a van near Finsbury Park station. Photo / AP
This morning, outside Downing Street the Prime Minister Theresa May described the Finsbury Park as "another terrorist attack on the streets of London - every bit as sickening as those that have come before."
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Mrs May said the attack had "once again targeted the ordinary and the innocent going about their daily lives - this time, British Muslims as they left a mosque, having broken their fast and prayed together at this sacred time of year".
The attack is fourth terror attack in Britain since March - one in Manchester and three in London - claiming 36 lives so far.
She added: "Today we come together, as we have done before, to condemn this act and to state once again that hatred and evil of this kind will never succeed."
Mrs May said that the attack on Muslims was "every bit as insidious and destructive to our values and our way of life" as the recent string of terror attacks apparently motivated by Islamist extremism, adding: "We will stop at nothing to defeat it."
She later visited the mosque and spoke to faith leaders with Met Commissioner Dick. As details of the attack emerged, the Muslim Council of Britain condemned the incident - which took place shortly after the congregation finished Ramadan evening prayers - as "the most violent manifestation" yet of Islamophobia and called for extra security around mosques.
The Met Police has now vowed to put extra security around mosques at this "sensitive time" as Muslims continue to mark the holy month of Ramadan. Mr Basu said it was an "incredibly challenging time for London" with emergency services "stretched" but that officers would do all they could to keep people safe.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also urged people to "remain calm and vigilant" and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has said the attack was "quite clearly an attack on Muslims".
Video posted online of the aftermath of the attack show scenes of chaos as people tried to help the injured.
One man could been seen giving CPR to a victim in the street while another man's head injury was treated with a makeshift dressing. People could be heard shouting and screaming amid the chaos and bloodstains were visible on the pavement.
Further dramatic footage from the scene shows the suspect - who was described as looking "indifferent" and "like he didn't care" - waving as he is bundled into the back of a police van.
At the time of the attack, which was just after midnight, several people were heroically giving first aid to an elderly member of the public who had collapsed at the bus stop with a medical issue.
Other witnesses to the attack early on Monday morning have also described how they wrestled the suspected terrorist to the ground - but stopped others from hitting him until officers took over.
Adil Rana, 24, who was outside the mosque when the van drove towards the crowd, said the driver gestured towards and mocked the crowds as he was taken away by police.
He added: "When he got arrested, he was taunting, saying: 'I'd do it again, I'd do it again.''
Describing the initial moments after the van careered into pedestrians, he went on: "The driver jumped out and then he was pinned down to the floor and people were punching him and beating him, which was reasonable because of what he's done.
"And then the imam of the mosque actually came out and said: 'Don't hit him, hand him over to the police, pin him down'."
Footage captured on mobile phones at the scene shows the van driver being held on the ground as people call for police.
A man can be heard urgently shouting: "No-one touch him - no-one! No-one!"
Abdulrahman Saleh Alamoudi said he was among a group of people helping an elderly worshipper who had fallen down, perhaps because of the heat, when the van swerved towards them.
He told BuzzFeed News: "Luckily I managed to escape. And then the guy came out of his van and I got him.
"He was screaming, he was saying: 'I'm going to kill all Muslims, I'm going to kill all Muslims.' He was throwing punches.
As well as the one confirmed fatality, police said a further nine casualties are being treated across three London hospitals for "serious injuries" while two victims sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
Mr Basu also confirmed that the probe was being handled by terror the Counter Terrorism Command. Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed the incident is being treated as a potential terror attack and called an emergency meeting of the Cobra Committee.
Speaking this morning outside Scotland Yard, Mr Basu said: 'Sadly Londoners are are waking up to the news of another dreadful incident in the capital that has left a number of people seriously injured.
"This was an attack on London and all Londoners and we should all stand together against extremists whatever their cause. Now is a time to unite those who seek to divide us."
He added: "I would like to praise the police officers who immediately responded gave life saving treatment at the scene, but also very much those members of the public who assisted before and after this incident.
"At the scene, detained by members of the community, was the man suspected of being the driver. He has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
"I would like to thank those people who helped police in detaining the man and who worked with officers to calmly and quickly get him in to our custody. Their restraint in the circumstances is commendable."
Confirming the fatality, he added that the incident unfolded while a man was already receiving first aid.
"Any causative link between his death and the attack will form part of the investigation. It is too early to say whether his death is a result of the attack," he added.
Today, Toufik Kacimi, chief executive of the Muslim Welfare House, said the suspect had shouted "I did my bit" after carrying out the attack.
He told Sky News: "After the event, he did say 'I did my bit'. It means he is not mentally ill, he is conscious, he did what he did deliberately to hit and kill as many Muslims as possible."
He added that the imam - who had been leading the evening prayer, known as taraweeh - had saved the suspect's life after he ploughed the van into a wall and fences and other members of the public began beating him.
"He hit almost a wall and fences at the end of the road because it was a dead road. So people grabbed him outside and starting hitting him," he added.
"Our imam went there and saved the life of the attacker. There is a wild video which you can see filmed by one of our worshippers and you can see clearly our imam saving the life of this guy and the guy at this time was saying 'I did my bit'."
Police forensic investigators examine Finsbury Park. Photo / AP
Another witness, who wanted to be identified as Abdulrahman, which is not his real name, said he was one of the people who helped to remove the driver from the van.
"He wanted to run away and was saying, 'I want to kill Muslims'," he said.
"So he came back to the main road and I managed to get him to the ground and me and some other guys managed to hold him until the police arrived, for about 20 minutes I think, until the police arrived."
Abdulrahman claimed the driver said "kill me'" as he was held on the ground.
Abdikadar Warfa said he also helped to detain the suspect while his friends helped victims.
"I saw a man underneath the van. He was bleeding. My friend said he had to lift the van, I was busy with a man who tried to escape. My friend said he said some words, but I didn't hear it," he said.
"They (people who were hit) were mostly young. They are very bad. I tried to stop him (the suspect), some people were hitting him but I said stop him and keep him until the police came.
"He was trying to run away but people overpowered him. He was fighting to run away.'"
Local resident Abdul Abdullah, 18, who was also at the scene, described the suspect as looking "indifferent" and "like he didn't even care".
Shocking eyewitness accounts had earlier revealed how the van raced down the bus lane before swerving down a dead end road and mowing down members of the public.
Adil Rana, 24, said he saw blood and 'people dead on the floor' in the aftermath.
"The van was driving towards us to try and basically hit us at speed and everyone was shocked and people were screaming. There were people on the floor," he said.
Mr Rana, from Walthamstow, said he also saw the driver being held on the ground by some of the crowd after getting out the vehicle.
He said: "The driver jumped out and then he was pinned down to the floor and people were punching him and beating him, which was reasonable because of what he's done.
"And then the imam of the mosque actually came out and said 'Don't hit him, hand him over to the police, pin him down'."
Mr Rana said the driver gestured and mocked the crowds as he was taken away by police.
"When he got arrested, he was taunting, saying 'I'd do it again, I'd do it again'," he added.
Emergency service crews were also seen giving cardiac massages to the injured in a desperate bid to save them, but unconfirmed reports that two other suspects fled the van were denied by police.
Police stand guard at a cordon on a road near Finsbury Park station. Photo / AP
The police operation is being handled by counter-terrorism units, while the suspect has been taken to hospital and will be detained once he has been discharged, and will then face a mental health assessment.
Today, police and forensic officers were seen scouring the area for clues as the terror investigation got underway.
Flowers were handed to police, who put the tributes inside the cordoned off area. One tribute reads: "This hideous crime is not who we are. Finsbury Park represents the best of London. Love and tolerance."
Staff from a local cafe were also seen giving coffees and bottles of water to officers guarding the scene.
Police said the suspect had been taken to hospital as a precaution and would be taken into custody once discharged and subjected to a mental health assessment in due course.
Some witnesses at the scene said more than one attacker may have been involved.
But the Met said: "At this early stage of this investigation, no other suspects at the scene have been identified or reported to police, however the investigation continues."
Meanwhile, a member of staff at Pontyclun Van Hire said the company would not be issuing a statement. She said: "We are not saying anything, we don't know anything at the moment."
The website shows that anyone wanting to hire a vehicle must show their driving licence and a utility bill or bank statement featuring a current address.
Today, police interviewed staff at the company, which is based 12 miles north of Cardiff. The Finsbury Park Mosque gained notoriety more than a decade ago for sermons by hate preacher Abu Hamza, who was imam from 1997 until 2003 and was sentenced to life in a U.S. prison in January 2015 for his conviction on terrorism-related charges.
"The van driver deliberately mowed down Muslim men and women leaving late evening prayers from Finsbury Park Mosque and Muslim Welfare House just after midnight," the statement said.
"This is a callous terrorist attack, which coincides with the murdered MP, Jo Cox, anniversary."
The statement added: "Finally, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.
"We urge all attending mosques and going about their business to remain vigilant in this difficult time."
"It's not safe anymore after what's been happening. It's not been safe to walk.
"Two people ran away and one got taken away to the police.
The attack comes just two weeks after eight were killed in a terror attack in London Bridge, when three extremists mowed down pedestrians on the bridge before launching a stabbing frenzy in pubs and clubs in nearby Borough Market.
Three months ago, Khalid Masood also mowed down four people on Westminster Bridge before stabbing PC Keith Palmer to death on the cobbled forecourt of the Houses of Parliament.
It was also less than a month ago that terrorist Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb killing 22 people, including children, after an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. Fabian Santana, 22, who saw last night's carnage unfold, said he felt as though the capital was no longer "safe".
"I just feel like London for the last couple of weeks has not been safe. I'd rather go out of London," he added.
Jamal, 21, echoed his fears, telling MailOnline: "I think it's terrible what happened in so many locations I don't know if I'm going to be alive tomorrow, I'm worried what's going to happen tomorrow, it's scary
"It's not safe in London, total, 100 per cent it is not safe, I'm worried to come out of my house right now, it's not safe."
Jeremy Corbyn expressed his shock at the incident, which took place in the heart of his Islington North constituency, and appeared to be in tears.
He said: "I'm totally shocked at the incident at Finsbury Park tonight. I've been in touch with the mosques, police and Islington council regarding the incident.
"My thoughts are with those and the community affected by this awful event."
Hather Ali, 31, was inside the mosque where Jeremy Corbyn addressed 150 people later.
He told MailOnline: "He was giving a message of unity and said that everyone needs to work together."
Police man a cordon at Finsbury Park. Photo / AP
He said that everyone needs to be calm and stick together to overcome such extremism.
"The response from the community and local politicians has been excellent. The emergency services have also been great since the attack happened.
"After something like this there will be a sense of fear. But as long as we are united as a community we can eradicate this."
London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged people to remain vigilant, saying: "We don't yet know the full details, but this was clearly a deliberate attack on innocent Londoners, many of whom were finishing prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.
"While this appears to be an attack on a particular community, like the terrible attacks in Manchester, Westminster and London Bridge it is also an assault on all our shared values of tolerance, freedom and respect".
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "My thoughts are with all those affected by the appalling incident at Finsbury Park.
"I am in contact with the Metropolitan Police who have confirmed it is being investigated by their Counter Terrorism Command.
"We must all continue to stand together, resolute, against all those who try to divide us and spread hate and fear."
Labour's shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, whose Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency lies close to the scene, called for police to review security at mosques.
She tweeted: "Terror attack outside #FinsburyPark mosque. Police must urgently review security for all mosques #StandTogether."
Another witness, a courier who gave his name as Andrew, said he saw three people on the floor and at least one of them appeared to be in Muslim dress.
The 45-year-old, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, said he was driving back from a night shift when he saw the aftermath of the collision.
He said: "When I drove past slowly I could count three people on the floor and police were performing CPR on one of them. The guy having CPR performed on him was in a gown, ethnic clothing."
One resident told how he jumped out of the way as the van struck pedestrians.
The man, who did not want to be named, said: "The gentleman went straight down this road, people were just conversing, talking, just doing what we're doing. And he just came into all of us.
"There was a lot of people. We got told to move straight away. I was shocked, shocked, shocked. There were bodies around me.
"Thank God I just moved to the side, I just jumped. Everyone is hurt. Everyone is actually hurt"
Jennifer Heape said: "Apparently a van has ploughed into people coming from Finsbury Park mosque. People are reporting of several injured, some fatalities.
"Police are escorting people home very calmly. They are making sure people stay indoors.
"No panic, but it's very serious. A LOT of helicopters."
Police officers man a cordon on Fonthill road near Finsbury Park station. Photo / AP
An eyewitness who lives on Seven Sisters Road told the BBC there were people "shouting and screaming".
She added: "Everyone was shouting 'a van's hit people'.
"There was this white van stopped outside Finsbury Park Mosque that seems to have hit people who were coming out of the mosque after prayers finished."
A Metropolitan Police helicopter was seen circling overhead as photographs posted on social media showed a huge response from the emergency services.
Dozens of police cars and vans cordoned off a large area of the normally bustling thoroughfare as stunned locals gathered at the scene.
Mehdi, a 38-year-old worshipper, told the Evening Standard: "There were loads of people coming out and the van took a left and went straight into them.
"The crowd caught a guy. He tried to do a London Bridge thing."
A woman named Hajal said her sister witnessed the immediate aftermath of the incident. She told LBC Radio: "Everyone was just running everywhere she didn't realise what was going on at first until she people on the floor.
"She ran to see first victim and realised it was a family friend."
"An old man didn't have a pulse. Police came and took over. She said it could have been an accident.
"At first she thought there was some sort of fight. There were 15 to 20 people hitting somebody - she didn't realise it was the man who ran over the people.
"She said someone was still under the van but he was breathing. The second [more seriously injured] person was family friend who at first said he couldn't feel his legs."
Another person who lives nearby, Ishmael, told the station: "I pray there regularly. I'm there right now. There's a very close friend of mine and in a very bad critical condition.
"I hear from the other guys that they just stand there and have a coffee.
"The van drove to there. I had just left the area because I wasn't feeling very well.
"One of my friends witnessed it. He told me the van went through the people standing there. 6 or 7 people, and one Asian guy is definitely dead.
People take part in a vigil at Finsbury Park. Photo / AP
"My friend is in bad critical condition. He was under the van. His head was bleeding.
"Someone took a video of him. Very shocking video. He's got family and a wife.
"The police answered the phone and told me he's alright. But the other friend they don't really know his condition. They're both in ambulances and heading to a London Hospital.
"Something's going to happen here one day here. Since that incident I had a feeling something was going to happen to the Mosque. We don't have no security.
"This is Ramadan and there was no security at all. Anyone who wants to do anything can come there. If someone wants to kill hundreds they can come there easily."
Abdikadar Warfa said: 'I saw a man underneath the van. He was bleeding. My friend said he had to lift the van, I was busy with a man who tried to escape.
"My friend said he said some words, but I didn't hear it.
"They (people who were hit) were mostly young. They are very bad.
"I tried to stop him (the suspect), some people were hitting him but I said stop him and keep him until the police came.
"He was trying to run away but people overpowered him. He was fighting to run away."
The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox spoke out on Twitter as news of the attack broke, saying that the far right and Islamist terrorists shared an ideology and both must be defeated.
Brendan Cox tweeted: "Far right facists&Islamist terrorists are driven by same hatred of difference, same ideology of supremacy&use same tactics.We'll defeat both.
"When islamist terrorists attack we rightly seek out hate preachers who spur them on. We must do the same to those who peddle Islamophobia".
Mother-of-two Mrs Cox, who represented the Batley and Spen conctituency in West Yorkshire, was shot and stabbed as she arrived for a constituency surgery in Birstall on June 16 last year.
London Ambulance Service Deputy Director of Operations, Kevin Bate said: "We were called at 12.15am to reports of a road traffic collision at Seven Sisters Road.
"We have sent a number of ambulance crews, advance paramedics and specialist responses teams to the scene. An advance trauma team from London's Air Ambulance has also been dispatched by car.
"We are working closely with other members of the emergency services at the scene.
"Our priority is to assess the level and nature of injuries and ensure those in the most need are treated first and taken to hospital.
"More information will follow when we have it."
Muhbeen Hussain, founder of British Muslim Youth, said: "We strongly condemn this horrendous suspected terrorist attack and pray for the innocent victims and their families that have been affected by this incident.
A police officer informs a member of the public that the route is closed near the scene of the attack. Photo / AP
"I have personally visited the scene of the attack and spoke to many eyewitnesses, many of whom were quite emotional after witnessing a murder and seeing many people being injured.
"In less than a month, we have witnessed horrific attacks in Manchester, London Bridge, Borough Markets, a tragedy at Grenfell Tower and now this horrific attack.
"We as communities stood united in all of these difficult times and we must come together once more.
"I also urge anyone that has further information to speak to the police, so they have as much information as possible to deal with the on-going investigation."
Member of the London Muslim Community Forum, Shiraz Kothia, also called for calm in the face of the tragedy.
He told MailOnline: "First of all we need to look after the community and make sure everyone is safe.
A forensic tent, center, stands next to a van, in white, at Finsbury Park. Photo / AP
"No matter what faith or ideology it is, we need to tackle extremism. I have worked with the Metropolitan Police after the Manchester and London Bridge attacks and we will continue to work with everyone in the community.
"Everyone must remain calm. There is no faith to terrorism. Tomorrow is could be a synagogue or a church. We must come together to stop it.
