British soldier killed in deadly terror attack

[Green Zubat]

Surprised this hasn't been covered yet. Quick warning: the video's rather unsettling (apologies for not being able to embed it properly -_-.

Man killed in deadly terror attack in London street
• Alleged attacker is filmed brandishing knife and cleaver
• Two suspects shot by armed police
• Ministers holding emergency Cobra meeting

[video]http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2013/may/22/woolwich-suspect-attack-video[/video]

Dramatic footage has emerged of the suspected terrorist attack near the London barracks that left one man dead, showing a suspect with blood-covered hands using jihadist rhetoric to justify the violence.

On Wednesday night the prime minister, David Cameron, vowed that Britain will "never buckle" in the face of terrorist incidents, and condemned the "absolutely sickening" killing in Woolwich.

As the government's emergency committee Cobra convened in central London to assess the implications of the incident, ITV News broadcast footage of one of the alleged attackers.

Brandishing a cleaver and a knife, and with the body of the victim lying yards away, the man said: "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you. The only reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day. This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

"We must fight them. I apologise that women had to witness this today.

Map showing the exact location of the incident:

Spoiler

"But in our land our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don't care about you."

The man then walks away and talks to another suspected attacker.

Later footage shows the aftermath after the two suspects were shot by police.


Police at the scene in Woolwich, south London, where a man was killed and two others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds following a 'serious incident'. BBC screengrab:

Spoiler

[url]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/online/2013/5/22/1369239414899/Police-at-the-scene-in-Wo-008.jpg[/url][img][/spoiler]


It is believed the person died after suffering knife injuries, possibly around the head area.

Two people have been taken to hospital after they were shot by armed police.

There were reports that the man who was fatally attacked was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt.

The Woolwich and Greenwich MP, Nick Raynsford, said it was his understanding that one person, a serving soldier, was dead but there was no immediate confirmation of this from the Ministry of Defence.

The prime minister said: "Tonight, our thoughts should be with the victim, with their family, with their friends."

"People across Britain, people in every community, I believe, will utterly condemn this attack.

"We have had these sorts of attacks before in our country and we never buckle in the face of them."

Cameron was speaking at a Paris press conference with French president Francois Hollande but confirmed he would cut short the visit to return to the UK tonight to chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee in the morning.

Chiefs at the Woolwich barracks were understood to be trying to account for military personnel, amid reports the dead person may have been connected to the military. The incident happened 300-400 metres from the perimeter of the barracks.

The barracks is home to the Princess of Wales regiment and the Kings Troop, which is a ceremonial unit, that relocated to Woolwich last year.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the shooting by police, which is standard in cases where officers open fire.

In a statement the IPCC said it had "been made aware by Metropolitan Police Service of an incident in Woolwich, south London. IPCC investigators have been deployed to the scene and to the post-incident process. The IPCC has declared this as an independent investigation."

Earlier Raynsford said: "The incident occurred early afternoon. One individual is dead, two others are seriously injured and in hospital.

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

"We do know a number of weapons have been seized. They include a gun, various knives, and a machete, apparently."[/quote]

[URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/22/police-respond-serious-incident-woolwich"]Source[/URL]

[URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/23/lee-rigby-ordinary-soldier-woolwich-attack"]Apparently[/URL], the victim's name was Lee Rigby, and he served in the army for 7 years, 6 months of which he spent in Afghanistan.

[URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/22/woolwich-two-shot-in-police-incident-live-coverage"]Live updates & recap[/URL] of the aftermath as it happened.

To be honest, whilst the incident itself was horrible, I'm more concerned about the reactions. Already there are [URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/23/attacks-muslims-spike-woolwich-attack"]reports[/URL] of a rise in islamophobic activity, such as attacks on Muslims. Likewise, the EDL didn't miss a beat in [URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/23/woolwich-attack-anti-muslim-reprisals"]hijacking[/URL] the fiasco as an excuse to stir up religious & racial tensions.

 

[Oswin]

I have literally no words for this. What the fuck doesn't even cover this.

One of the worst things about this is how nonchalant one of the attackers was, even talking to a passerby like nothing had happened, whilst caked in blood and still holding the weapon. Sickening.

 

[proserpina]

I was horrified to see this so close to my home. I don't think anybody has really absorbed it yet and I'm very concerned for what groups like the English Defence League are responding with. There have also been several Islamophobic attacks across England following this. With such horrific actions and the resulting misguided hate, I'm very concerned this will get even worse.

My thoughts are with Rigby's family and the victims of other resulting attacks.

 

[Froakie]

This is a really awful and sad story that I've been following since it occurred. For once I'm glad I'm not back in London because I don't wan't to be close to where this was going on, and the aftermath of a rise in islamaphobia. It's just awful, but as some people said, the two people who did this attack waited around until the police came. It was almost like they wanted to be martyrs, because waiting around for the police to come was just a death sentence. They wanted to prove a point, what that is, I don't know, and I can't comprehend what went through their heads. The first wave of messages I saw were 'send these people back to their own country', but as evident from their accents, they were born, or at least lived a long time, here in London.

My heart goes out to Lee Rigby and his family, friends and comrades. This is an awful, unique event that I hope never happens again.

 

[ashita]

This is just completely awful and my thoughts and prayers are with the family of Lee Rigby's family at the horrendous time.
In a bit of news today a plane was diverted to Stansted from Manchester though this is not believed currently to be terrorist related at present
BBC News - Two held after RAF Typhoon jets escort Pakistan plane over UK
Here is the latest report on the killing from the BBC website including a video (which may not be for the faint hearted of the immediate aftermath of the incident
BBC News - Wife thought Woolwich soldier would 'be safe in UK'

 

[Caitlin]

What I find the dumbest about this whole situation is that they're telling enlisted armsmen not to wear their uniforms. Really? It should be safe to wear your uniform in your own country. I could completely understand that order if it were a hostile environment in a foreign country, but your own homeland that you'd give your life to protect?

More and more it seems that governments are not doing enough to protect their own citizens and members of the armed forces. I understand that there is a fine but blurred line between human rights and abuse of those rights, but there really should be tougher scrutiny on radicalised or watched suspects.

 

[CrackFox]

The whole thing is completely unthinkable, it's a sick world we live in. Even down to the amount of hits these youtube videos have that have all the graphic details and images on them. Morbid curiosity is one thing but some people really class that kind of viewing as entertainment. Even my friend is sending me links, I just don't wish to see that. The news is so graphic these days, on one hand I can see why, there's no point in pretending these things aren't happening but on the other hand that news clip that shows the interview with one of the killers, his hands are drenched in the victims blood and that was aired at like 6pm. I would not want any children to see that, and I don't know, it feels like society has hardened, showing stuff like that so easily. It's like we've just accepted the brutality so much so that the media doesn't even try to white-wash it anymore.

I don't think there's a good answer to any of it. I've heard that some black people are scared of leaving their homes now in case they themselves get attacked by a small minded Brit who blames their entire ethnicity, another reason to lose faith in the human race.

 

[Jolene]

This is the kind of crap that makes me angry. Some of these extremists are living it up here in the west! This guy was in England long enough to have an accent. If you hate the West and our "infidel" culture, go the hell back to where you came from! You heard me! This is sickening and biting off the mouth that is feeding you. I am glad they caught this bastard on camera. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that it was terror and I appreciate Mr. Cameron for calling it what it was as quickly as possible. I am convinced that Islam is no religion of peace! Fuck polital correctness. Excecute this guy!

 

[Froakie]

This is the kind of crap that makes me angry. Some of these extremists are living it up here in the west! This guy was in England long enough to have an accent. If you hate the West and our "infidel" culture, go the hell back to where you came from! You heard me! This is sickening and biting off the mouth that is feeding you. I am glad they caught this bastard on camera. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that it was terror and I appreciate Mr. Cameron for calling it what it was as quickly as possible. I am convinced that Islam is no religion of peace! Fuck polital correctness. Excecute this guy!

Islam is a religion of piece, it's just the few extremists take it too far just like you get some extremist Christians. It's the same thing, please don't generalise a whole religion and sway to media propaganda making all people following Islam appear in a bad light. And if I'm not mistaken, he was born here in the UK, so your comment about him going back to where he came from is incorrect.

I am absolutely in no way defending him, I think it's absolutely sick what these people did. But you cannot blame entire religions or countries because of a few awful individuals and I'm upset how many xenophobic comments have come a-cropper because of this.

 

[Jolene]

@Froakie; Well, now that I know this man was British, what I see is a treasonous terrorist and should be made an example of to discourage any homegrown terrorists. Your focus is too much on islamophobia and not terrorism. I am not saying that all Muslims are terrorists, but the vast majority of terrorists are muslims. It has nothing to do with race or nationality, because neither these guys nor the Boston Bombers were Arabs but but they were all radicalized Muslims. We need to stop with the political correctness and nip the jihadist crap in the bud. We need to actively seek out extremists and prevent them from radicalizing the local populace. Until then, we might as well live in fear because the jihadists know they will be protected by political correctness. These terrorists have only one intention that is to kill.

 

[Fig]

@Jolene;

We ask that our users show respect toward one another. This include reasonably respecting each other's religion (that means no attacking the religion as a whole). We do have several Muslim users on these forums (even among the staff), and saying to their face that their religion is "no religion of peace" is not respect.

You will show them respect. You will apologize for what you have said. Or you won't post here anymore.

 

[Big Lutz]

We need to actively seek out extremists and prevent them from radicalizing the local populace. Until then, we might as well live in fear because the jihadists know they will be protected by political correctness. These terrorists have only one intention that is to kill.

Yet you are only taking one kind of fear and turning it into another. What is considered extreme? Who is in charge of considering it extreme? You say the vast majority of muslims are terrorists, but Britain has and in many ways currently does have a greater terrorism threat in the IRA, the southern United States has had a greater terrorism threat with the KKK. Should Britain return to the days of the "Black and Tan" where anyone speaking out for Irish independence be attacked? What is considered radicalized? Speaking out against the war? Something these guys were clearly motivated by? One could say preaching against Homosexuality or how only one religion is the true way could be considered radicalization. Are we going to lose our freedom of religion? There are problems I would say in many British Immigrant communities, but returning to the days of the "Black and Tan" merely trades one type of fear for another.

 

[Jolene]

@Evil Figment; told me to do this.

Dear Muslims,

I am sorry for assuming most terrorists are of your faith. Terrorists can be of any faith, race or sexual orientation. Most Muslims are peace loving, hard working people who would never harm a fly are are just like other people and not different in any way. So once again I am deepy sorry for stereotyping and I hope you will forgive me.

Your fellow member of an Abrahamic faith,
Jolene

 

[99unownoak]

Really grotesque act. Sometimes it's hard to believe these things they're so awful. Definitely the wrong way to go about opposing the war even if their concerns were justified.

"Islam is a religion of piece", I laughed for way too long over that (for the error and not necessarily the stance).

 

[zakisrage]

Islam is a religion of piece...

I agree that most Muslims are peaceful, but as one of them myself, I often notice that the "religion of peace" label is often used sarcastically by Islamophobes.

 

[Froakie]

Islam is a religion of piece...

I agree that most Muslims are peaceful, but as one of them myself, I often notice that the "religion of peace" label is often used sarcastically by Islamophobes.

Of course it can be used sarcastically, but I did mean it in all sincerity to reply to the poster I quoted. I hope you didn't take it as me being sarcastic, sorry if it came off that way! I maybe should have worded it differently to avoid an identically worded phrase which islamaphobes do use sarcastically.

 

[Shinobu]

I agree that most Muslims are peaceful, but as one of them myself, I often notice that the "religion of peace" label is often used sarcastically by Islamophobes.

The context is important, and it's pretty obvious that Froakie wasn't being incendiary. If anyone just posts, "Religion of Peace!" in a thread they'll be infracted.