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Finsbury Park: Terror victim says he will 'never forget' what he saw and no longer feels safe in London

Yassan Hersi says 'no one is safe' after the attack which killed one and injured 11

Caroline Mortimer
Tuesday 20 June 2017 23:05 BST
Finsbury Park victim Yassin Hersi described the scene in the moments after the attack
Finsbury Park victim Yassin Hersi described the scene in the moments after the attack

A victim of Finsbury Park terror attack has said he no longer feels safe in London and will “never forget” what he saw.

Yassin Hersi was one of 11 people injured when a van ploughed into a group of Muslims leaving the mosque in North London.

"I feel lucky now, when I see the situation," he told ITV News. "The guy who was under the van was shouting 'help, help, help'. I didn't realise at the time he was trapped under the van."

Mr Hersi was one of a number of people that had stopped to help Markram Ali, who had collapsed at the scene.

He was giving CPR to the 51-year-old when the attack happened.

Mr Ali was pronounced dead at the scene and an investigation is currently underway to determine whether he died from injuries sustained when he was hit.

Darren Osborne, 47 from Cardiff, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. The following day he was arrested on suspicion of additional terrorism offences along with murder and attempted murder.

Mr Hersi, who suffered broken legs in the incident said that heard a victim shouting for help from underneath the van within seconds of the attack.

"Yesterday we were in the same hospital with that guy and he had a long operation. The doctors think he's going to have a four-hour operation or something like that... but last I heard it was six hours."

He said he did not know for certain that he had died as a result of the attack but said he had been responding well to the CPR before the van struck.

“I believe he died of panic. He was responding well [before the van hit]... he was talking, responding, saying I'm okay...”, he said “We thought he had a heart problem but it's not serious. I believe the van contributed [to his death].”

Mr Hersi said he was “proud” of how the community responded to the attack but no longer felt safe in London.

“To be honest with you, whether you're in a car, or you cross the road, or if you're in an apartment... no one is safe”, he added.

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