Shortly after the deadly attack in New York which killed at least eight people and injured several others, United States President Donald Trump said that he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to implement tougher procedures to screen applicants who come to the United States.
"I have just ordered Homeland Security to step up our already Extreme Vetting Program," Trump tweeted on Tuesday night. "Being politically correct is fine, but not for this!"
Reports state that Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, an Uzbek national who legally resided in Florida and New Jersey, is suspected to be behind the attack where he ploughed through pedestrians and bicyclists in lower Manhattan using a rented Home Depot truck.
The accused was later shot by a police officer in the abdomen. Reports state that he's out of surgery and is expected to survive.
According to CNN and NBC reports, Saipov left a note in the truck claiming that he carried out the attack in the name of extremist terrorist organisation Islamic State (ISIS).
"We must not allow ISIS to return, or enter, our country after defeating them in the Middle East and elsewhere," Trump tweeted earlier Tuesday, after the reports of the attack. "Enough!"
The US President had previously said that his administration was taking concrete steps to prevent any future terrorist attacks in the country. The Trump administration had initially formulated a refugee intake system and travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The travel dictat was criticised by many and was deemed a "Muslim ban."
After the ban was challenged in courts, Trump modified the ban to include 11 "high-risk" countries. Uzbekistan, however, is not included in that list.
"In any event we are EXTREME VETTING people coming into the U.S. in order to help keep our country safe. "The courts are slow and political!" Trump had tweeted after the London terror attack in June.
