2013 Woolwich beheading
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
The 2013 Woolwich beheading was a suspected terrorist attack on May 22, 2013 on an off-duty British military cadet by two assailants who chopped off his head with a machete while shouting Islamist slogans.[1] Two men are reported to have been shot by police, they survived the shots and are held under armed guards at a hospital.[2][3]
The Woolwich beheading is suspected murder that occurred at around 14.10 GMT on 22 May, at John Wilson Street, Woolwich, South East London. John Snow of Channel 4 news referred to as a 'terror' attack.
At 14.10 GMT a young man wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt was walking down Wellington Street. A car crashed into him and the two occupants immediately attacked with knives and machetes.
After hacking the victim, he was then shot. It is reported that they then beheaded him. The car they were driving in was crashed into a large road sign and a large pool of blood was filmed by a police helicopter where the victim was killed. The assailants then dragged his corpse into the middle of the road. They then boasted to passersby and told them to film their actions. They repeatedly chanted "it was God's will" and that "no woman could touch the body."
The police arrived within 20 minutes. The pair had remained in the same place waiting for the police to arrive The attackers approached the police and both were shot by armed officers. One was more seriously injured than the other, both were taken to separate hospitals.
Prime Minister David Cameron planned to return immediately to Great Britain but then delayed his return until completing his meeting in France. The British government COBRA emergency response convened in response to the attack.
Political Motive
The attackers repeatedly recited "Allahu Akbar". They apologised (on film) to observers who had witnessed the incident, explaining, whilst still holding blood stained knives, that "our women see this everyday," referring to Iraq and Afghanistan.
See also
References
- ^ "Telegraph article on terror attack in Woolwich".
- ^ "Man dead in suspected Woolwich terror attack". 22 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ "Live feed of BBC News on Woolwich terror attack". 22 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.