Police reveal footage of raid in search for Clapham attacker
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Chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi could have taken his own life or be using an ally to stay hidden, a former senior police officer has said as the manhunt enters its fifth day.
The Metropolitan Police have been searching for the 35-year-old since Wednesday after a 31-year-old and her daughters, aged eight and three, were attacked with a “very strong concentrated corrosive substance” in Clapham, south London.
The woman remains in a critical condition and is facing life-changing injuries.
Nick Aldworth, a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think if we’ve not seen or heard from him in the the last couple of days, which appears to be the case, he’s gone to ground, possibly supported by somebody… or it’s not unlikely or improbable that he may have taken his own life.
Police investigators believe there are people who know Ezedi’s whereabouts and have not come forward. The convicted sex offender was last seen exiting Tower Hill Station at 9.33pm on Wednesday and the Met have offered a £20,000 reward for anyone with information leading to his arrest.
Key points
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Former police chief says it is ‘very easy’ to vanish in London
Sue Sim, the former Chief Constable of Northumbria Police – who led the manhunt for killer Raoul Moat, has said she has “no doubt” Ezedi will be found.
She told Good Morning Britain: “What you do have to remember is, it’s very easy to vanish in a city. People walk with their heads down, people don’t like to acknowledge other people.
“A city is far easier to vanish into than the wilds of Northumberland where Moat went missing in 2010.
“But yes, if somebody is hiding him, hand him in immediately.”
Holly Evans5 February 2024 10:40
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We must not allow the Clapham attack to colour our view of migrants
“I admit to being one of those who was concerned when I learned that the perpetrator of this horrendous crime had been granted asylum in this country.
“Because, as stated in your piece, I am against the idea that one malefactor should cloud everyone’s rational opinion about the thousands of other desperate men, women and children who come to this country seeking aid.”
Read your letters to the editor here
Holly Evans5 February 2024 10:12
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Clapham alkali suspect may be dead, former senior police officer claims
Clapham alkali suspect may be dead, former senior police officer claims
Holly Evans5 February 2024 09:48
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Witness to Clapham attack could have permanent eye injuries
A witness to the Clapham acid attack has recounted how Ezedi was “clearly intent on hurting” the three-year-old child, who he threw to the ground.
Speaking to the Times, the witness revealed he had received arm injuries while his partner has “burnt both eyeballs” and may have permanent injuries to her eyes.
“My partner immediately starts saying she has sharp pain in her eye. She thinks at the time that she has detached her retina, but then I start feeling pain on my arms and realise it could be acid.
“I have no doubt that if my partner had not jumped in then the child would no longer be with us, and if our other neighbours hadn’t immediately taken the family and washed them down then their injuries would have been far worse.”
Holly Evans5 February 2024 09:30
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Clapham suspect was in relationship with victim, relative says
The relative, who has not been named, said they would “bring in” 35-year-old suspect Abdul Ezedi themselves and expressed concern about his wellbeing.
Ezedi fled Clapham after allegedly dousing a woman, 31, and her two children aged three and eight, in an alkaline substance which left the mother in a serious condition with life-changing injuries.
Read the full article here
Holly Evans5 February 2024 09:04
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Minister says suspect would not be here if Nationality and Borders Bill in place
Cabinet minister Chris Heaton-Harris insisted Abdul Ezedi would have been detained and deported if the Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill had been in place.
Asked whether he agreed with his colleague Gillian Keegan’s remark that the focus around the alkali attack is “not really about asylum,” he told LBC: “We know as a Government we need to tighten those (powers) further and that’s what we’re trying to do with our Rwanda Bill…
“This was an unbelievably tragic occurrence. Everybody that I know has been completely shocked by it. But we’ve tightened our laws since and he would not be here had we had the Nationality and Borders Bill in place and he’d been detained and deported properly.”
Holly Evans5 February 2024 08:40
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Chemical attack suspect ‘could have taken own life’
Chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi could have taken his own life, a former senior police officer has said as the manhunt for the 35-year-old enters it’s fifth day.
The Metropolitan Police have been searching for Ezedi since Wednesday after a 31-year-old and her daughters, aged eight and three, were attacked with a “very strong concentrated corrosive substance” in Clapham, south London.
Nick Aldworth, a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think if we’ve not seen or heard from him in the the last couple of days, which appears to be the case, he’s gone to ground, possibly supported by somebody… or it’s not unlikely or improbable that he may have taken his own life.
“There is therefore a body to be found somewhere.”
Mr Aldworth said the force would be tracking Ezedi’s movements through public cameras, which had been a “very effective” method in previous cases.
Asked if the Met Police would now have a precise location for his whereabouts, he said: “I think they’ll have a very good sense of what area he’s in.
“What you can’t discount of course is that he has been picked up by an ally and moved somewhere else, perhaps in a vehicle. The reason they’ve offered a £20,000 reward is usually because there’s a sense that somebody inside the community might well be harbouring this individual.”
(PA Wire)
Athena Stavrou5 February 2024 07:55
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Watch – Clapham attack suspect Abdul Ezedi filmed walking through Tesco on CCTV as search continues
Clapham attack suspect Abdul Ezedi filmed walking through Tesco on CCTV
Newly-released CCTV shows Clapham attack suspect Abdul Ezedi in a Tesco shop on Caledonian Road, London, on Wednesday (31 January). Metropolitan Police officers have been searching for the 35-year-old from Newcastle since Wednesday after a 31-year-old mother, believed to be known to Ezedi, was attacked with a “very strong concentrated corrosive.” She sustained injuries thought to be “life-changing”. Her daughters were also hurt but their injuries are “not likely to be life-changing”. Authorities have offered a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Holly Evans5 February 2024 07:00
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£20K reward offered for alkali attack suspect who ‘used very strong corrosive’
The suspect in the alkali attack in south London used a “very strong concentrated corrosive substance”, police revealed, as they offered a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Commander Jon Savell said analysis of the substance showed it was highly corrosive.
He said: “The liquid used in the attack was a very strong concentrated corrosive substance, either liquid sodium hydroxide or liquid sodium carbonate.
“Further enquiries are ongoing including comparison with the containers seized from Ezedi’s address in Newcastle.”
The force also said they had new information on his movements, including that the last sighting of him was at 9.33pm at Tower Hill Underground station in east London on 31 January, shortly after the attack in Clapham.
Previous sightings put him at King’s Cross Station at around 9pm on 31 January and police said he boarded a Victoria line train to Victoria Station, arriving at 9.10pm.
He then boarded an eastbound District Line train to Tower Hill at 9.16pm.
Namita Singh5 February 2024 06:30
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Watch – CCTV appears to capture moment Clapham ‘acid attack’ unfolded
CCTV appears to capture moment Clapham ‘acid attack’ unfolded
Lydia Patrick5 February 2024 06:00
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/clapham-alkaline-attack-london-abdul-ezedi-b2490463.html
