London attack: A man was killed and two others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds in southeast London following a "serious incident" understood to involve a serving British soldier. Several witnesses described seeing a "beheading" while another described seeing a man wearing a ‘Help for Heroes’ military charity t-shirt being attacked with a machete-style knife and dumped in the street. Police would not comment immediately on whether the incident appeared to be terror-related.
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. London Ambulance Service confirmed a man was found dead at the scene, while two other men were taken to hospital, one of them in a serious condition. One Whitehall source said the attackers were heard to shout 'Allah Akbar' (God is great). There were also unconfirmed reports that the men filmed the attack.
UK emergency committee convened: British Prime Minister David Cameron described the killing as "truly shocking" and said he had asked the Home Secretary to chair a meeting of COBRA, the UK government's emergency committee. COBRA meetings are convened to deal with incidents that have implications for national security.
One witness, identified as James, said he and his partner saw two men attack the young victim with knives, including a meat cleaver. "They were hacking at this poor guy, literally," he told London radio station LBC. "They were hacking at him, chopping him, cutting him." The Ministry of Defence said it was urgently looking at the reports that the incident involved a soldier, but had no further comment.
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. London Ambulance Service confirmed a man was found dead at the scene, while two other men were taken to hospital, one of them in a serious condition. One Whitehall source said the attackers were heard to shout 'Allah Akbar' (God is great). There were also unconfirmed reports that the men filmed the attack.
UK emergency committee convened: British Prime Minister David Cameron described the killing as "truly shocking" and said he had asked the Home Secretary to chair a meeting of COBRA, the UK government's emergency committee. COBRA meetings are convened to deal with incidents that have implications for national security.
One witness, identified as James, said he and his partner saw two men attack the young victim with knives, including a meat cleaver. "They were hacking at this poor guy, literally," he told London radio station LBC. "They were hacking at him, chopping him, cutting him." The Ministry of Defence said it was urgently looking at the reports that the incident involved a soldier, but had no further comment.