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I was devastated to see that Canada, a long-standing and important friend of the United Kingdom and member of the Commonwealth, was attacked this week by a convert to Islamic extremism .
I said a few months ago, when action against Isis in Iraq and Syria was being mooted, that the most important security concern that Britain faces is homegrown terror, and those returning from abroad, resettling in the UK, having been radicalised and trained by Islamic extremists. This remains, to me, our foremost security threat.
Despite being involved in our wars against foreign tyrants and terrorists, Canada has often been considered one of the safest places in the Western world.
Unassuming and beautiful, Canada holds a special place in the hearts of most Britons. To see her under attack is deeply saddening.
And despite how evident it now is that what happened on the streets of Ottawa could just as easily happen on the streets of London, I fear we are still paying more attention to people thousands of miles away rather than to preventing escalation of the terror threat at home.
As a nation, our priority must shift to the dozens, if not hundreds of homegrown Islamists that we are beginning to learn are dead set on harming our country and our people on our streets.
I sincerely hope that Ottawans and Canadians in general are able to rely on Britain for any support they may need at this difficult time. It is no stretch to say that an attack on a Commonwealth partner is an attack on the Commonwealth as a whole.
In pictures: Ottawa shootingShow all 43 1 /43In pictures: Ottawa shooting In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Several police officers walk near downtown Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A photograph of Corporal Cirillo just moments before the fatal shooting
Twitter/Kamakazi19982
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Tourist Megan Underwood posed with Corporal Cirillo before the shooting
Megan Underwood, via Facebook
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Flowers placed at the gate of the John Weir Foote V.C. Armouries in Hamilton, Ontario where it is believed the soldier who was killed in the attack was based
AFP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police search cars and pedestrians as they leave the Alexandra Bridge near the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa
AP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed police officers walk down Queen Street near Parliament Hill, close to the scene where the gunman was later shot and killed
AP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed police teams enter Centre Block at Parliament Hill in Ottawa
AP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A small plane equipped with surveillance equipment flies over the scene of multiple shootings in Ottawa
AP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Head of RCMP Bob Paulson briefs Canadian prime Minister Stephen Harper on the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa
AP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa
AP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting RCMP and Ottawa police cruisers on Wellington St. stand guard
Getty Images
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Properties in central Ottawa were forced to shut
PA
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An Ottawa police officer and service dog run up Metcalfe Street following shootings in downtown Ottawa
Reuters
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting The Conservative Party caucus room is shown shortly after shooting began on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police teams enter Centre Block at Parliament Hill in Ottawa
AP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police attempt to secure a portion of downtown Ottawa near Parliament Hill
EPA
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers approach Centre Block on Parliament Hilll
EPA
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers guard access to Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police officers take cover near Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting RCMP intervention team members clear the area at the entrance of Parliament hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers race across a street on Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A still image captured from video footage by the Globe and Mail newspaper shows police officers responding to shooting attacks inside the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa
Reuters
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A police officer holds back the public from Canada's National War Memorial as CPR is performed on a shooting victim in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Paramedics and police pull a victim away from the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Emergency personnel tend to a soldier shot at the National Memorial near Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The soldier was standing guard when an unknown gunman shot him
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police and medical personnel moving a wounded person into an ambulance at the scene of a shooting at the National War Memorial in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A police officer closes off the scene near the Canada War Memorial following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers guard the front of Langevin Block on Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A car thought to be the car of one of the suspects is pictured on Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police officers guard Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team walks past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A heavily armed Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer stands guard at 24 Sussex, the residence of Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper after a reported shooting at Parliament building in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A police officer secures the scene of a shooting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team responds to a reported shooting at Parliament building in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police at the scene of a shooting at the National War Memorial in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A heavily armed RCMP officer enters 24 Sussex Dr., the official residence of the Prime Minister
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard makes a statement in regarding the shooting at the Parliament in Ottawa at the legislature in Quebec City. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa has been shot by an unknown gunman and there have been reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police cordon off a street leading to Parliament Hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police vehicles block a road near Parliament in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An ambulance arriving at the scene
Eric Twitty
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Emergency vehicles at the National War Memorial following a shooting incident in Ottawa
Gerry Byrne
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Canadian police outside Parliament
Mike Kujawski
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