One of the men behind a savage attack in Woolwich was filmed wielding a
bloodied meat cleaver and saying, "We swear by almighty Allah we will
never stop fighting you''.
The shocking footage shown on ITV News
tonight followed a major police operation after a man was murdered in broad
daylight by two suspected terrorists.
Eyewitnesses said the victim was hacked
to death, with some suggesting his attackers tried to behead him.
The two are then said to have charged at
police when they arrived on the scene in the south east London street.
A local MP said the victim was believed
to be a serving soldier.
THIS
SHOCKING VIDEO SHOWS ONE OF THE SUSPECTED ATTACKERS SPEAKING TO A CAMERA -
WARNING THE VIDEO CONTAINS IMAGES SOME PEOPLE MAY FIND DISTURBING
Home Secretary Theresa May confirmed she has been briefed by the
Director General of the Security Service MI5 on the “sickening and barbaric”
incident as David Cameron called a meeting of the Government’s Cobra
crisis committee, describing the attack as “truly shocking”.
Cobra meetings are crisis response
committees set up to coordinate the actions of different agencies, including
the security services, police and local authorities.
One Whitehall source said the attackers
were heard to shout 'Allah Akbar'. There were also unconfirmed reports that the
men filmed the attack.
Metropolitan Police Commander Simon
Letchford confirmed tonight that the two attackers were shot by armed officers.
He said in a statement: “At approximately
1420 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.
“I can understand that this incident will
cause community concerns and I would like to reiterate that we are
investigating what has taken place today.
“The MPS will investigate the
circumstances that led to a man losing his life and the IPCC, as is routine,
will investigate the circumstances in which police discharged their weapons.
“There will continue to be an increased
police presence in this area, and the surrounding areas this evening. That
presence will continue as long as is needed.
“I am asking people to remain calm, and
avoid unnecessary speculation. I will update you again as soon as I am in a
position to do so.”
Several witnesses described seeing a
“beheading” while another described seeing a man wearing a Help for Heroes
T-shirt being attacked with a machete-style knife.
Woolwich and Greenwich MP Nick Raynsford
said it was his understanding that one person, a serving soldier, was dead and
his two alleged killers were taken to hospital after armed police shot them.
One witness, identified as James, said he
and his partner saw two black men attack a young man aged around 20 in a Help
for Heroes T-shirt with kitchen knives like he was “a piece of meat”.
“They were hacking at this poor guy,
literally,” he told LBC radio.
“They were hacking at him, chopping him,
cutting him.”
Credits to birminghammail.co.uk
