EPT
A British soldier has been killed in what police are treating as a "terror attack" in south-east London.
Two attackers filmed their deadly assault on a man in Woolwich, according to Sky sources. Senior Whitehall sources said the attackers had also asked passers-by to film them, and had shouted "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is great). A meeting of Cobra - the government-level national emergency response committee - has been convened, the source added. Home Secretary Theresa May has described the events in Woolwich, south east London, as "sickening."
Richard AL Williams
Sky sources understand killing was likely to be a politically-motivated Islamist terror attack
Sky sources understand killing was likely to be a politically-motivated Islamist terror attack
Metropolitan Police
I ask people to remain calm&avoid unnecessary speculation. There will be an increased police presence in the area this evening.
I ask people to remain calm&avoid unnecessary speculation. There will be an increased police presence in the area this evening.
David Cameron expected to cut short a trip to Paris to return to London reports Adam Boulton of SKY News
![[image loading]](http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/resources/images/2462015.jpg)
Video of the Attacker with bloodied hands via news channel (NSFW)
All this took place just outside an Army barracks in Woolwich (literally 500yards at most). Witnesses say the pair appeared to deliberately drive their car at the victim, before getting out with various bladed weapons and launching their attack. Just savagely chopping and stabbing away at the man whilst screaming "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is great). Then they go on a rant about saying how the government is failing its people (British Goverment) in recordings. Eye whitness' say they chopped the mans head off in the process of the savage attack.
Whitness' also say that the two men then "stood around" awaiting for the police to arrive to "confront" them also. Whether this is true is unclear but most news sites/channels are reporting that is the case. When the police arrived a confrontation happened which resulted in the police shooting both suspects and are now in hospital.
The United Kingdom is now on a terror alert.
Speaking from Paris, Prime Minister David Cameron has described the incident as a "sickening attack":
"It is the most appalling crime. We obviously are urgently seeking the full facts of this case but there are strong indications that it is a terrorist incident.
"It is the most appalling crime. We obviously are urgently seeking the full facts of this case but there are strong indications that it is a terrorist incident.
+ Show Spoiler [Prime ministers Response] +
Speaking from Paris, Prime Minister David Cameron has described the incident as a "sickening attack":
"It is the most appalling crime. We obviously are urgently seeking the full facts of this case but there are strong indications that it is a terrorist incident.
"The police and the security services will get all of the support they need to deal with this. I'll be returning to London tonight to chair a Cobra meeting in the morning.
"People across Britain, people in every community, I believe will utterly condemn this attack."
"Britain has suffered terrorist attacks before. Terrorist attacks from the IRA, terrorist attacks from Islamic extremists. We have suffered these attacks before and we have always beaten them back.
"We've done that through a combination of vigilance, of security, of security information, (and) of good policing.
"But above all the ways we've beaten them back is (by) showing an absolutely indomitable British spirit. That we will not be cowed, (and) we will not buckle under these sorts of attacks.
"The terrorists will never win because they can never beat the values that we hold dear.
"The belief in freedom, in democracy, in free speech, in our British values, Western values. They are never going to defeat those, and that is how we will stand up to these people: whoever they are, however many there are of them. And that is why we will always win."
Live Updates Can Be Found Here
Overview of what we know
Few Updates on Last Evenings Attack
No change in domestic terror alert level since yesterday remains at 'substantial'
Mayor Boris Johnson says neither Islam Nor UK foreign policy to blame for Woolwich killing
Prime Minister David Cameron will chair a COBRA meeting, the Government's emergency response committee
Woman Confronts Attackers
+ Show Spoiler [Story] +
A mother-of-two, who confronted one of the two suspected Woolwich killers, said he told her they wanted "to start a war in London tonight."
Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, a mother-of-two and cub scout leader with training in first aid confronted the men, telling the pair to hand over their weapons and warning them: "You are going to lose."
She said she first saw the victim lying on the street. "When I saw this guy on the floor I thought it was an accident - then I saw the guy was dead and I could not feel any pulse.
"And then when I went up there was this black guy with a revolver and a kitchen knife, he had what looked like butcher's tools and he had a little axe, to cut the bones, and two large knives, and he said 'Move off the body'.
"So I thought 'OK, I don't know what is going on here' and he was covered with blood."
The 48-year-old, from Helston, Cornwall, told The Daily Telegraph: "I thought I had better start talking to him before he starts attacking somebody else. I thought these people usually have a message so I said 'What do you want?'
"I asked him if he did it and he said 'Yes', and I said 'Why?' and he said because he has killed Muslim people in Muslim countries, he said he was a British solider and I said 'Really?'.
"I said 'Right now it is only you versus many people, you are going to lose, what would you like to do?'
"And he said 'I would like to stay and fight'."
Her confrontation emerged as other witnesses revealed details of the horrific machete attack.
Julia Wilders, who lives near the scene, said: "We were driving back and my husband said to me 'Don't look, they're resuscitating someone'. But apparently they were stabbing him."
She said she later saw one of the attackers run towards police clutching two meat cleavers.
"He ran towards police before they could even get out of the car, and it looked like the other one was going to lift the gun up," the 51-year-old said.
Others took to Twitter to describe the events, with one user, writing on the account @Boyadee, describing a female officer "taking out" one of the men "like Robocop".
Joe Tallant, 20, saw one man holding a gun and a knife, and another holding two knives. He described how he saw the victim on the floor and the men asking onlookers to call the police.
He said: "I looked on the floor and I saw a dead body and then I saw one of the men walking around the body."
When the officers arrived, Mr Tallant said the attackers "walked towards the police car with their weapons and a police lady jumped out and shot them both".
EDL Demo And Mosques Attacked
English Defence League supporters took to the streets of Woolwich and threw missiles at police after the suspected terrorist killing earlier in the day.
Elsewhere, two men were arrested following separate attacks on mosques.
+ Show Spoiler [The Rest Of The Story] +
In Woolwich, a group of between 75 and 100 men gathered at The Queen's Arms pub on Burrage Grove, where they sang nationalist songs.
Sky News correspondent Alistair Bunkall, said: "A few missiles have been thrown, glass bottles and the like. The police have been trying to surround them and charging them as well with batons."
Earlier, two men were arrested following separate attacks on mosques in the hours following the suspected terrorist incident in southeast London.
A 43-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of attempted arson after reportedly walking into a mosque with a knife in Braintree, Essex.
Local MP Brooks Newmark tweeted: "Local mosque in Braintree attacked by man with knives and incendiary device. Man arrested. No one injured."
He added: "Just met with leaders of local mosque in Braintree which was attacked this evening. Thanked local police for their swift response."
Essex Police confirmed a 43-year-old from Braintree had been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and attempted arson after the incident in Silks Way at 7.15pm.
The secretary of the mosque, Sikander Saleemy, said: "The police said it's too early to try and link it to what happened in Woolwich, but those of us who were here feel that it was some sort of revenge attack. It was clear from the man's behaviour.
"We absolutely condemn what happened in Woolwich, but it had nothing to do with us.
"It was an appalling act of terror - but it wasn't "Islamic" in any way. I wish it wasn't described like that, because sadly people will now start to blame Muslims."
A police spokesman said they were investigating the "full circumstances" and said "it would not be appropriate to speculate at this time".
In Kent, police were called to reports of criminal damage at a mosque in Canterbury Street, Gillingham, at 8.40pm.
A spokesman said a man was in custody on suspicion of racially-aggravated criminal damage.
+ Show Spoiler [Latest News] +
The two terror suspects being held under armed guard at hospitals in London were both known to security services, Government sources say.
The men - one of whom has been named as Michael Adeboloja - were arrested following the hacking to death of a serving soldier in the street in Woolwich, southeast London.
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said Adeboloja is a 28-year-old Londoner of Nigerian descent.
"He was born in Lambeth, grew up in east London. There are still members of his family living in the area.
"He was a student at Greenwich University, but it is not clear what he was studying there. Already on Facebook there are comments from former pupils say that they went to school with him in east London."
After it became clear through eyewitness accounts that the attackers had political and religious motives, the Government held a so-called Cobra emergency response meeting, which was followed by another this morning.
Police investigating the attack have been searching an address in Lincolnshire believed to be connected to Adeboloja.
Brunt added: "We believe it is his father's house that is being searched by Lincolnshire Police on behalf of counter-terrorism command at Scotland Yard."
Anjem Choudary, the former leader of banned Islamic group al Muhajiroun, said he knew one of the alleged attackers but had not seen him for about two years.
Counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation into the "shocking and horrific" murder and the Prime Minister has held talks with his top advisers to address potential security implications.
Relatives of the dead soldier are believed to have been informed and his identity is expected to be released later today.
A Facebook page in honour of the Woolwich victim has received around a million 'likes'.
Two suspected Muslim fanatics attacked the man in the street a short distance from the Royal Artillery Barracks after apparently knocking him down with their car.
Witnesses said they set about the soldier with a number of weapons, which appeared to include knives and a meat cleaver, while shouting the name of "Allah".
They apparently encouraged passers-by to video them. One of the alleged attackers was filmed wielding a bloodied meat cleaver, saying: "We must fight them as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
"I apologise that wom
en have had to witness this today, but in our land our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don't care about you," he said.
In another clip, the man can be heard ad
ding: "You think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street when we start bussin' our guns? You think politicians are going to die?
"No it's going to be the average guy, like you, and your children
"So get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back so you can all live in peace."
Armed officers arrived about 20 after the attack began and shot two suspects, with one in a serious condition. According to sources, one of the suspects is being treated in King's College Hospital, Camberwell.
Scotland Yard said on Thursday that officers were at the scene within nine minutes of receiving that first 999 call.
"Firearms officers were there and dealing with the incident 10 minutes after they were assigned, 14 minutes after the first call to the Met," Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne said
Scotland Yard's police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, confirmed that the two men had been arrested.
"We understand concern about the motivation and we will work tirelessly to uncover why this occurred and who was responsible. I understand people want answers, but I must stress we are in the early stages of investigations," he said.
Extra officers were on duty in Woolwich overnight and security has been stepped up at military barracks across the capital.
Forensic officers were still on the scene on Thursday morning and the area remained cordoned off. The car used in the attack was taken away during the night
After it became clear through eyewitness accounts that the attackers had political and religious motives, the Government held a so-called Cobra emergency response meeting, which was followed by another this morning.
Mr Cameron said afterwards: "The people who did this were trying to divide us. They should know something like this will only bring us together and make us stronger.
"One of the best ways of defeating terrorism is to go about our normal lives."
Riot police had to contain an English Defence League demonstration in Woolwich after the murder, while elsewhere two mosques were attacked.
The barracks, also known as the Woolwich station, houses a number of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and independent companies of the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards.
The men - one of whom has been named as Michael Adeboloja - were arrested following the hacking to death of a serving soldier in the street in Woolwich, southeast London.
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said Adeboloja is a 28-year-old Londoner of Nigerian descent.
"He was born in Lambeth, grew up in east London. There are still members of his family living in the area.
"He was a student at Greenwich University, but it is not clear what he was studying there. Already on Facebook there are comments from former pupils say that they went to school with him in east London."
After it became clear through eyewitness accounts that the attackers had political and religious motives, the Government held a so-called Cobra emergency response meeting, which was followed by another this morning.
Police investigating the attack have been searching an address in Lincolnshire believed to be connected to Adeboloja.
Brunt added: "We believe it is his father's house that is being searched by Lincolnshire Police on behalf of counter-terrorism command at Scotland Yard."
Anjem Choudary, the former leader of banned Islamic group al Muhajiroun, said he knew one of the alleged attackers but had not seen him for about two years.
Counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation into the "shocking and horrific" murder and the Prime Minister has held talks with his top advisers to address potential security implications.
Relatives of the dead soldier are believed to have been informed and his identity is expected to be released later today.
A Facebook page in honour of the Woolwich victim has received around a million 'likes'.
Two suspected Muslim fanatics attacked the man in the street a short distance from the Royal Artillery Barracks after apparently knocking him down with their car.
Witnesses said they set about the soldier with a number of weapons, which appeared to include knives and a meat cleaver, while shouting the name of "Allah".
They apparently encouraged passers-by to video them. One of the alleged attackers was filmed wielding a bloodied meat cleaver, saying: "We must fight them as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
"I apologise that wom
en have had to witness this today, but in our land our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don't care about you," he said.
In another clip, the man can be heard ad
ding: "You think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street when we start bussin' our guns? You think politicians are going to die?
"No it's going to be the average guy, like you, and your children
"So get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back so you can all live in peace."
Armed officers arrived about 20 after the attack began and shot two suspects, with one in a serious condition. According to sources, one of the suspects is being treated in King's College Hospital, Camberwell.
Scotland Yard said on Thursday that officers were at the scene within nine minutes of receiving that first 999 call.
"Firearms officers were there and dealing with the incident 10 minutes after they were assigned, 14 minutes after the first call to the Met," Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne said
Scotland Yard's police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, confirmed that the two men had been arrested.
"We understand concern about the motivation and we will work tirelessly to uncover why this occurred and who was responsible. I understand people want answers, but I must stress we are in the early stages of investigations," he said.
Extra officers were on duty in Woolwich overnight and security has been stepped up at military barracks across the capital.
Forensic officers were still on the scene on Thursday morning and the area remained cordoned off. The car used in the attack was taken away during the night
After it became clear through eyewitness accounts that the attackers had political and religious motives, the Government held a so-called Cobra emergency response meeting, which was followed by another this morning.
Mr Cameron said afterwards: "The people who did this were trying to divide us. They should know something like this will only bring us together and make us stronger.
"One of the best ways of defeating terrorism is to go about our normal lives."
Riot police had to contain an English Defence League demonstration in Woolwich after the murder, while elsewhere two mosques were attacked.
The barracks, also known as the Woolwich station, houses a number of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and independent companies of the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards.
Summary
- Both suspects are known to security services
- The main suspect who was seen shouting at the camera's was a university student in London
- Has a family property in Lincolnshire which was raided by counter terrorism officers this morning
- 1300 more police have been installed on London today
- Government treating it as a terrorist attack
- Suspect in serious condition, the other seems to be stable
- Prime minister says "they tried to divide us, but they should know they only bring us closer together"
