Counter terrorism police are leading the investigation into a stabbing at Manchester Victoria railway station on New Year’s Eve where the suspect is alleged to have shouted “Allah!”
UPDATE: 12pm — Police confirm incident “terror related”
Manchester police have revealed they are treating the Manchester Victoria train station stabbing attack, where three people were injured, as “terror related.”
Police confirmed that an unnamed 25-year-old suspect has been arrested and remains in custody. It has not been released whether he is a British citizen or his immigration status.
Sky News reports two knives were recovered at the scene and a property is being searched in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester.
Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said, “We are treating this as a terrorist investigation which is being led by counter terrorism officers with support from Greater Manchester Police.”
Original report continues below…
A man, whose details have not yet been released, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after three people, a man, woman, and a police officer were stabbed Monday at 9pm, with Greater Manchester Police confirming the case is being investigated by the country’s elite anti-terror unit, reports Sky News.
Rob Potts, Greater Manchester Police’s assistant chief constable, said Monday evening, “Tonight’s events will have understandably worried people.
“But I need to stress that the incident is not ongoing, a man is in custody and there is currently no intelligence to suggest that there is any wider threat at this time.
“While we don’t know yet the full circumstances and are keeping an open mind, officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West are leading on the investigation.”
VIDEO: Man arrested following stabbing at Victoria Station in Manchester in which three people including a police officer were injured pic.twitter.com/f4RYsWToAa
— News This Second (@NewsThisSecond) December 31, 2018
A man in his 50s suffered stabbing injuries to his abdomen while a woman, also in her 50s, was stabbed in the face and stomach. The injuries of both victims are said to be serious, but not life-threatening.
A British Transport Police (BTP) sergeant in his 30s was stabbed in the shoulder as he tried to intervene, but has since been released from hospital.
Eyewitness Sam Clack, a BBC producer who was at the station at the time waiting to travel home, said, “I just heard this most blood-curdling scream and looked down the platform.
“What it looked like was a guy in his 60s with a woman of similar age and another guy all dressed in black… It looked like they were having a fight but she was screaming in this blood-curdling way.
“I saw police in high-viz come towards him. He came towards me. I looked down and saw he had a kitchen knife with a black handle with a good, 12 inch blade.”
New Year’s Eve: Manchester Knifeman Shouted ‘Allah!’ Before Stabbing Three https://t.co/c84TR8cDZu
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 1, 2019
It took half a dozen police officers allegedly only armed with pepper spray and Tasers to take down the suspect, with Mr Clack claiming he heard him say, “As long as you keep bombing other countries this sort of shit is going to keep happening.”
Later, Mr Clack told media that the knifeman had shouted “Allah” during the attack.
“He shouted it before, he shouted it during it – Allah,” Mr Clack said.
Manchester police are expected to make a statement on Tuesday morning.
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