U.K : Soldier Dead After Islamist Terror Attack in Woolwich - London

A Cobra meeting has been called after what is believed to have been a politically-motivated Islamist terror attack in London.

A man reported to be a serving soldier is dead and two people have been shot in Woolwich, south east London, after what Sky sources understand is being treated as a terrorist attack.

Downing Street has called a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee after the incident in John Wilson Street, which David Cameron described as "truly shocking".

Sky sources understand that senior police officers believe the killing was likely to be a politically-motivated Islamist terrorist attack.

Dozens of weapons - including a number of knives - and pools of blood could be seen on the ground, where a man wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt is said to have been attacked.

Armed officers arrive at the scene and opened fire on two men thought to be the attackers. The two are now in hospital with gunshot wounds.




The Metropolitan Police confirmed one person had died following the incident and said the Independent Police Complaints Commission had now taken over the investigation.

Photographs taken at the scene show three people lying on the ground. Their condition was not clear.

Nigel Foran, who saw the incident as he returned home from shopping, described a scene of a confusion.

He told Sky News: "We saw a man running towards the police officers and then we heard a couple of gunshots.

"He went to the floor and was surrounded while officers drew their stun guns. After that, all the people who were watching ran away when they heard the gunshots."

The Ministry of Defence said it was urgently looking at the reports that the incident involved a soldier.

But Greenwich and Woolwich MP Nick Raynsford told Sky News he believed the deceased was a serving soldier.

He said he had spoken to both borough commander Richard Wood and Lieutenant Colonel Bob Christopher at Royal Artillery Barracks - which is around a mile from the scene of the attack.

Mr Raynsford said: "One individual is dead, two others are seriously injured and in hospital.

"The circumstances causing the incident are not yet clear. It's been suggested it was the product of a road traffic accident, but that's pure speculation.

"I'll be talking to everyone who is involved, we will be trying to do everything possible to try and ensure calm in the area. People will be very, very shocked.

"We think a serving soldier was the victim. We don't know the circumstances surrounding the incident."

Schools in the area have been placed on lockdown.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson posted on his Twitter account: "This afternoon's attack in Woolwich is a sickening deluded and unforgivable act of violence."

Police were sent to the scene at around 2.20pm. The immediate area has been shut down, with eyewitnesses describing the incident on Twitter as "horrific".

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We believe at this stage officers were called to reports of an assault."

London Air Ambulance confirmed one patient was airlifted from the scene, while another was taken away by road ambulance.

Source : SkyNews
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/patryn.worldlatestnews

Comments