Police are today seeking the identities of three Jihadi terrorists who were shot dead by armed police after killing seven people and injuring dozens of others in a horrific van and knife rampage through central London last night.

The men, described as being ‘of Mediterranean origin’, mowed down up to 20 revellers as they careered across London Bridge in an ‘S shape’ at 50mph before they began ‘randomly stabbing’ people in nearby Borough Market.

Today heavily armed officers arrested five people in a raid at a block of flats in Barking, east London, as a major investigation was launched into the third terror attack on British soil in the last three months.

Speaking outside No 10 today, Theresa May confirmed the three incidents are not directly connected but are linked by ‘the single evil ideology of Islamist extremism’. The Prime Minister insisted ‘enough is enough’ as she vowed to introduce tougher punishments and crack down on fanatics.

The three attackers, who were wearing fake suicide vests, shouted ‘this is for Allah’ as they used 12-inch hunting knives to attack revellers at busy bars and restaurants in the market, sending dozens of others fleeing for their lives. One of the suspects was wearing an Arsenal football shirt.

Armed police rushed to the scene and shot dead all three suspects within eight minutes of receiving the first emergency call.

Harun Khan, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, said he was “appalled and angered” by the attack.

“Muslims everywhere are outraged and disgusted at these cowards who once again have destroyed the lives of our fellow Britons.

“That this should happen in this month of Ramadan, when many Muslims were praying and fasting only goes to show that these people respect neither life nor faith.”

Sadiq Khan has condemned the “deliberate and cowardly” London Bridge attack and said the situation is “still unfolding”.

The scene remains on lock down today as armed police and forensic officers continue to piece together what took place last night. The terror threat remains at severe, meaning another terror attack is considered ‘highly likely’.

Meanwhile:

• Witness accounts of the terrifying events started to emerge with revellers describing how they fought off knifemen with chairs and glasses after attackers stormed packed bars and restaurants
• A hero taxi driver revealed how he tried to knock down three men ‘armed with 12in knives’ while another reported seeing victim being stabbed in the face and chest
• Dashcam footage emerged showing the aftermath of the devastation caused by the van on London Bridge, with bystanders seen tending to victims on the side of the road 
• Desperate families are begging for information on loved ones feared missing after the attack, including a 16-year-old girl who failed to return home last night 
• Kindhearted Londoners offered beds, food and cups of tea to survivors as the city came together in the wake of another attack and #PrayForLondon trended on social media 
• Today heavily armed officers raided a flat in Barking, east London, on Sunday morning as police launched a major investigation into the third terror attack on British soil in as many months
• The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee in Whitehall this morning and insisted in a press conference outside No 10 afterwards: ‘Enough is enough’ 
• Politicians faced calls to cancel the election next week but Mrs May confirmed it will go ahead as planned 
• All parties except for Ukip agreed to suspend national election campaigning today but local efforts will continue
• London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the ‘barbaric’ and ‘horrific’ event as ‘deliberate and cowardly’. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the attack was ‘brutal’ and ‘shocking’ in a tweet last night  
• President Donald Trump tweeted his support for Britain, saying ‘Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there – WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!’
• Ariana Grande, whose young fans were targeted in the attack at Manchester Arena, confirmed the benefit concert to benefit victims will go ahead tonight as planned with her manager urging people to stand together

Speaking from the steps of No 10 today, Mrs May said Britain faces a ‘new trend in the threat we face’ as she condemned the brutal attacks.

The Premier said there was ‘far too much tolerance’ of extreme views and vowed to stand up for ‘pluralistic British values’ that were ‘superior’ to the fanatics’ ideology. She vowed: ‘We will take on and defeat our enemies.’

Mrs May, who chaired a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee this morning, said the election campaign would resume in full tomorrow and the election on Thursday would go ahead as planned.

The official terror threat level has not been changed and remains at ‘severe’ – meaning an attack is ‘highly likely’.

The PM praised the ‘great courage and great speed’ with which police responded to the terror attacks and condemned the use of fake suicide vests to ‘spread panic and fear’.

The terror started last night when three men drove a van in an ‘S shape’ across London Bridge shortly before 10.10pm last night in an attempt to deliberately target pedestrians. There are unconfirmed reports that it is a B&Q and Hertz van.

An on-duty British Transport Police officer who rushed to protect bystanders was among the first victims attacked as the attackers abandoned their vehicle and began stabbing at random.

He suffered ‘serious but not life-threatening injuries’ and his family has been informed.

Some 48 people have been taken to five hospitals across London after the horrific attack. One of the fatalities was at London bridge, it has been reported.

‘The men said “This is for Allah” as they left the van and attacked victims. There were definitely three people sitting at the front of the van,’ witness Eric Seguenzo told BBC News.

He added: ‘I thought the van was travelling on wrong side of the road, as though the brakes had failed. The white van had yellow stripes, veered to the right and people tried to jump out the way.’

Witnesses to the terror attack heard at least 12 gunshots in the area, now believed to have been police firing at the attackers.

Ben and his wife Natalie were in Borough Market near the Southwark Tavern. They told BBC Radio 5 Live that they saw a ‘dark-skinned man in a red tracksuit’ stabbing a man.