London terror attack: Man shot dead after stabbing two
A man wearing a “hoax device” shot dead by police in London after stabbing two people had been released from prison recently for previous terrorism offences. WARNING: Graphic content
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A terrorist shot dead on a south London street had been let out of jail just days before he went on a rampage.
Assistant commissioner D’Orsi confirmed the terrorist was Sudesh Amman, 20.
She said that Amman was wearing a “hoax” suicide vest.
“We are confident that this is an isolated incident that has been contained,” she added.
Amman, 20, who was killed by police early this morning Australian time, is now the second man in two months to carry out an attack in London after serving time in jail on terror offences.
He was sentenced to three years and four months jail for terror offences, including encouraging his girlfriend at the time to behead her parents.
His “life goal” was to be a “martyr”, he was found with bomb making manuals and had pledged allegiance to ISIS.
However, he was automatically released half-way through his sentence under controversial UK laws.
Amman, who was wearing a fake suicide vest, stole a knife from a shop to go on his bloody attack at 2pm local time (1am AEDT).
Police had him under surveillance and responded within less than two minutes after he stabbed two people, a man and a woman, on the Streatham High Road.
Lucy D’Orsi, deputy assistant commissioner of special operations at London’s Metropolitan Police, said three people were taken by ambulance to hospitals following the attack.
“One man, who is in his 40s, was initially considered to be in a life-threatening condition, however we are thankful that following his treatment at hospital this is no longer the case,” she said.
“One woman in her 50s had non-life threatening injuries and has been discharged from hospital.
“Another woman in her 20s has minor injuries believed to have been caused by glass following discharge of the police firearm.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who demanded tougher sentences after Usman Khan killed two people in the London Bridge attack, said he planned to announce “fundamental changes”.
He said preoccupations with Brexit had meant the Government was unable to make the changes required to keep violent offenders and terrorists in jail for longer.Insisting the system must be changed, he said: “If you are convicted of a serious terrorist offence, there should be a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years - and some should never be released.“Further, for all terrorism and extremist offences, the sentence announced by the judge must be the time actually served - these criminals must serve every day of their sentence, with no exceptions.”
Mr Johnson said the Government has “moved quickly” to introduce measures to strengthen the UK’s response to terrorism.
Acting Commander Alexis Boon, head of the Met Police Counterterrorism Command, said at the time of Amman’s 2018 court hearing: “His fascination with dying in the name of terrorism was clear in a notepad we recovered from his home.
“Amman had scrawled his ‘life goals’ in the notepad and top of the list, above family activities, was dying a martyr and going to ‘Jannah’ - the afterlife.
“It’s not clear how Amman became radicalised but it is apparent from his messages that it had been at least a year in development. Whatever the circumstances, this case is a reminder of the need to be vigilant to signs of radicalisation and report it.”
A Met Police spokesman said: “Three people are known to have been injured in the Streatham attack earlier this afternoon.
“One person is at hospital in a life-threatening condition. We are in the process of informing their family.
“A second victim was treated for minor injuries at the scene before being taken to hospital.
“A third victim has been taken to hospital – their condition is not life-threatening.”
Heather Elliott, 26, was with her six-month-old baby son when she heard of the attack.
“I got a phone call from my partner and she said it was a terror attack, are you OK?” she said.
The attacker was shot by police within minutes of grabbing the knife.
Ms Elliott said she wanted to know why police had not acted before it reached this level of violence.
“MI6 know these people. For the police to get here so quick they must have known he was here,” she said.
Paul Courtney, 46, of Streatham, said he had lived in the area for 26 years and never seen anything so bad.
Police stand guard in #streatham after London’s second terror attack in two months â¦@dailytelegraphâ© â¦@theheraldsunâ© â¦@couriermailâ© â¦@theTiserâ© â¦@geelongaddyâ© pic.twitter.com/jFNygcBBHd
— Stephen Drill (@steveheraldsun) February 2, 2020
“I feel a little bit uneasy about with it. It’s a little bit odd that its kicked off around here,” he said.
Javed Merchant said he was just a few metres away from one of the victims.
He said he went to help him as people tried to stop the bleeding.
The Streatham High Road was blocked off and forensic police were investigating.
ATTACK ‘TERRORIST RELATED’
The man, who reportedly had terror links, was shot dead by police just after 2pm local time (1am AEDT).
British police declared the attack as “terrorist related”.
“The circumstances are being assessed; the incident has been declared as terrorist related,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“We believe there are two injured victims. We await updates on their conditions.
“The scene has been fully contained.”
Frantic witnesses heard gunshots and saw the man collapse on the footpath on Streatham High Road in the London borough of Streatham.
The man was reportedly carrying a machete and had silver canisters on his chest in the second attack in the UK capital in two months.
Kiranjeet Singh, 38, told The Sun that the suspected terrorist stole a 25cm knife from his brother’s bargain shop before leaving a trail of injured people in his wake.
He stabbed a terrified woman in the back before she ran away screaming in pain, another witness said, before slashing a young man in the chest with a “huge knife”.
Panicked people urged the wounded man to “stay with us” as he lay gravely injured on the ground.
Armed police raced to take down the knife-wielding man – thought to be wearing something resembling a suicide vest – and shot him three times.
Security sources have said it is being treated as an “Islamist” attack – after tentative police were seen approaching his body.
Police shouted for people to “get back” as they cleared the area of shoppers and bystanders immediately after the shooting.
One horrified witness who watched the sickening scenes unfold told The Sun: “I was outside having a cigarette near [supermarket] Argos and Iceland when I saw a woman in hysterics running up the street screaming, ‘He stabbed me in the back.’
“As that was happening I looked up and saw another commotion and a man run away with a huge knife.
“There was a guy on the floor covered in blood with a huge gash down his side.
#BREAKING NEWS: police in #London has shot dead a man after stabbing 2 people (in a possible terror attack) pic.twitter.com/gsWklscyhh
— News flash (@BRNewsFlash) February 2, 2020
Witnesses said the attack happened in front of a Boots pharmacy.
The attack sparked panic at the Odeon Cinema in Streatham, with people told to get to the back of the theatre because of fears the attacker had a bomb outside.
There were images of the attacker with silver canisters strapped to his chest on social media and also reports of two bags he had been carrying.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who promised to crack down on terror suspects’ bail after November’s London Bridge attack, praised police.
“Thank you to all emergency services responding to the incident in Streatham, which the police have now declared as terrorism-related. My thoughts are with the injured and all those affected,” he said on Twitter.
Thank you to all emergency services responding to the incident in Streatham, which the police have now declared as terrorism-related. My thoughts are with the injured and all those affected.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 2, 2020
#INCIDENT A man has been shot by armed officers in #Streatham. At this stage it is believed a number of people have been stabbed. The circumstances are being assessed; the incident has been declared as terrorist-related. Please follow @metpoliceuk for updates
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 2, 2020
My statement on today's incident in #Streatham: pic.twitter.com/sDsJlVcyNq
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) February 2, 2020
London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “I am in close contact with the Met Commissioner and local representatives, and want to thank our police, security and emergency services staff for their swift and courageous response. They truly are the best of us.
“Terrorists seek to divide us and to destroy our way of life – here in London we will never let them succeed.”
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel praised the “brave” emergency services who attended.
“I am being kept updated by Metropolitan Police on this afternoon’s incident in Streatham, which has been declared terrorist-related,” she posted on Twitter.
We believe there are two injured victims. We await updates on their conditions.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 2, 2020
The scene has been fully contained.
We will issue more information when possible.
“My first thoughts are with the victims, our brave police and emergency services and their families.”
Gulled Bulhan, a 19-year-old student from Streatham, was walking down Streatham High Road when the attack happened.
“I was crossing the road when I saw a man with a machete and silver canisters on his chest being chased by what I assume was an undercover police officer – as they were in civilian clothing,” he said.
“The man was then shot. I think I heard three gun shots but I can’t quite remember.
“After that I ran into the library to get to safety.
“From the library I saw a load of ambulances and armed police officers arrive on the scene.”
Mr Bulhan said people began running into nearby stores after the incident.
“We were all informed to stay in buildings by armed police, until we were evacuated,” he said.
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British police said the attack was terror-related.
“The circumstances are being assessed; the incident has been declared as terrorist related.”
It is the second attack in less than two months after Usman Khan was shot dead on London Bridge after killing two people at a rehabilitation conference for reformed terror offenders.
London Ambulance Service said it was on the scene in south London this morning.
“We have a number of resources attending an incident in Streatham High Road,” a statement said.