Deadly Terror Attack in London Street
•
Alleged attacker is filmed brandishing knife and cleaver
• Two suspects shot by armed police
• Ministers holding emergency Cobra meeting
Guardian UK, Wednesday 22 May 2013
Terror Suspect holding machetes, issuing death threats. Photograph: ITV News
Dramatic footage of the suspected terrorist attack near the Woolwich barracks today that left one man dead has emerged, showing a man with blood covered hands using jihadist rhetoric to justify the violence.
As the government's emergency committee
Cobra convened in central London to assess the implications of the incident, ITV News broadcast footage of one of the alleged attackers.
Brandishing a cleaver and a knife, and with the body of the victim lying yards away, the man said:
"We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you. The only reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day. This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
"We must fight them. I apologise that women had to witness this today.
"But in our land our women have to see the same.
Map showing the exact location of the incident
"You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don't care about you."
The man then walks away and talks to another suspected attacker.
Later footage shows the aftermath after the two suspects were shot by Police
Police at the scene in Woolwich, south London, where a man was killed and two others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds following a 'serious incident'. BBC screengrab
The home secretary, Theresa May, called a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee in response to the incident.
It is believed the person died after suffering knife injuries, possibly around the head area.
Two people have been taken to hospital after they were shot by armed police.
There were reports that the man who was fatally attacked was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt.
The Woolwich and Greenwich MP, Nick Raynsford, said it was his understanding that one person,
a serving soldier, was dead but there was no immediate confirmation of this from the Ministry of Defence.
May tonight confirmed she has been briefed by the Director General of the Security Service MI5 on the "sickening and barbaric" incident.
May said: "It has been confirmed to me that a man has been brutally murdered this afternoon in south-east London. Two other men were shot by armed police and they are currently receiving treatment for their injuries."
The prime minister, David Cameron, described the killing as "truly shocking" and said he had asked the home secretary to chair a meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency committee. Cobra only meets for the most serious incidents.
A separate source told the Guardian that the initial version of events was that a man was attacked by two other people. Those suspects were then shot by armed police called to the scene.
Commander Simon Letchford, from Woolwich police, said: "At approx 14.20 we were called to reports of an assault in John Wilson Street, Woolwich where one man was being assaulted by two other men. A number of weapons were reportedly being used in the attack, and this included reports of a firearm.
"Officers including local Greenwich officers arrived at the scene and shortly after firearms officers arrived on the scene. On their arrival at the scene they found a man, who was later pronounced dead. At this early stage I am unable to provide any further information about the man who has died.
"Two men, who we believe from early reports to have been carrying weapons, were shot by police. They were taken to separate London hospitals, they are receiving treatment for their injuries."
Chiefs at the Woolwich barracks were understood to be trying to account for military personnel, amid reports the dead person may have been connected to the military. The incident happened 300-400 metres from the perimeter of the barracks.
The barracks is home to the Princess of Wales regiment and the Kings Troop, which is a ceremonial unit, that relocated to Woolwich last year.
The Independent Police Complaints Commissionis investigating the shooting by police, (which is standard in cases where officers open fire,)
in a statement said it had "been made aware by Metropolitan Police Service of an incident in Woolwich, south London. IPCC investigators have been deployed to the scene and to the post-incident process. The IPCC has declared this as an independent investigation."
Earlier Raynsford said: "The incident occurred early afternoon. One individual is dead, two others are seriously injured and in hospital.
"We think a serving soldier was the victim. We don't know the circumstances surrounding the incident.
"We do know a number of weapons have been seized. They include a gun, various knives, and a machete, apparently."
to be continued......
.