Queen honors UK lawmaker who tried to save officer

The image of British foreign affairs minister Tobias Ellwood, blood on his hands and face, battling to save stabbed Constable Keith Palmer, encapsulated Wednesday's attack on the UK parliament.

Ellwood, a former army officer and member of Parliament for the Conservative party, rushed to join efforts to revive the policeman who had been guarding the gates of Parliament, giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

However, Palmer went on to die of his injuries, one of four victims killed by Khalid Masood.

On Friday, the office for Prime Minister Theresa May announced that Ellwood had been appointed to the Privy Council for his efforts, a prestigious council made up of lawmakers, judges and bishops, designated to advising the queen. The institution dates back a millennium to the Norman era, and its members are given the title of "Right Honorable."

Ellwood also received a special honor from Queen Elizabeth herself, according to May's office.

Wednesday's deadly attack in the UK capital is not the first time Ellwood has had to confront the horrors of Islamist terrorism; his brother was killed in the 2002 Bali bombings.

London: A target for Islamist radicals

The London attack was the deadliest in Britain since July 2005, when 52 people were killed by jihadist suicide bombers targeting the capital's public transport network.

The so-called "Islamic State" has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack, although officials said it remains unclear what links, if any, Masood had with the group. According to May, he was known to intelligence services as a peripheral figure some years ago, although he had shown no signs of planning to carry out an attack.

UK Security Minister Ben Wallace, who helped coordinate the government's response to the attack, was also honored with a seat on the Privy Council. 

dm/jr (Reuters, AFP)