Terrorism is “part and parcel of living in a big city,” Khan flippantly explained, in a September interview with The Independent.
He added: “It is a reality I’m afraid that London, New York, [and] other major cities around the world have got to be prepared for these sorts of things.”
Earlier in 2016, he had also attacked then-Republican nominee Donald Trump’s proposed travel ban from Middle Easter countries—telling the world that “London has proved [Trump] wrong” when it came to preventing terrorism.
Khan’s remarks from 2016 were quickly brought back to the surface by his political opponents, in light of yesterday’s London terror attacks.
Donald Trump, Jr., President Trump’s oldest son, tweeted a link to the September article from The Independent about Khan’s remarks, adding the caption: “You have to be kidding me?!”
Nigel Farage, the former leader of the opposition United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), was more pointed in his criticism: “I don’t want these things ever to be ‘part and parcel’ of living in a modern, major city.”
Farage instead urged decisive action, rather than Khan’s complacency. He explained that, despite heavy criticism for counter-terror measures like Trump’s travel ban, leaders are “not doing it because they are bad people; they are doing it because they genuinely are trying to make us safer.”
“We are living in a world that is becoming increasingly dangerous over the course of the last few years,” added Farage. “It is a question of how we deal with it.”
Khan has refused to reply to his detractors, saying he had “far more important things” to do when asked to comment. He did, however, released a statement thanking police for their quick response time and bravery.
Originally published by American Action News.
