Soldier killed in terrorist attack in Woolwich

22 May 2013 Last updated at 18:19


Man dead in suspected Woolwich terror attack

An air ambulance and four crews attended the scene



A man has died and two are injured after police responded to a reported machete attack in south-east London.

The government is reported to be treating the attack as a suspected terrorist incident and the prime minister said it was "truly shocking".

Eyewitnesses said a man was assaulted in a Woolwich street by two individuals who were later shot by officers.

Local MP Nick Raynsford said the dead man was a soldier at Woolwich barracks but this has not been confirmed.

Home Secretary Theresa May has summoned a meeting of the government's emergency response committee Cobra to assess the incident.

It is understood she has also requested updates from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, and the head of MI5.

Whitehall sources have told the BBC it is "a fair supposition" that the incident was a terrorist incident but police have not commented publicly on the suggestion.

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the police view is that the attack may have been filmed and footage may exist.

People carrying out the attack were heard to say Allahu Akbar [God is Great], said our political editor.

On Twitter, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson described the attack as a "sickening deluded and unforgivable act of violence".

'Guys were crazed'
London Ambulance Service confirmed one man had been found dead at the scene.

It said two men had been taken to hospital, one in a serious condition.

One of the men was airlifted from the scene, and another was taken away by road ambulance

A spokesperson said an air ambulance and four crews had attended the scene.


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Local resident Graham Wilders describes seeing a man pulling out a handgun
Witnesses reported by the Press Association said two people had been shot after armed police were called to an incident in which a man was attacked with a machete-style knife.

One witness, identified only as James, said two men had attacked another man, aged about 20, who was wearing a T-shirt of military charity Help for Heroes.

"These two guys were crazed. They were just animals. They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road and left his body there," he told LBC radio.

He said after the "horrendous" attack, the two men, who were also in their 20s, stood around, waving knives and a gun, and asked people to take pictures of them "as if they wanted to be on TV or something".

"They were oblivious to anything, they were more worried about having their photo taken, running up and down the road," he said.

Thomas, a witness who contacted the BBC, said: "I got there minutes after it happened because you could hear gunshots from Woolwich High Street.

"Basically two men carried out an axe attack on a young army cadet walking along the street, by the looks of things the police responded and then shot them in front of the public, at the same time I couldn't really tell if the cadet was fatally or not hurt as police were crowded around him."

Mr Raynsford, the Woolwich and Greenwich MP, said he had spoken to local police and understood a number of weapons had been seized at the scene including a gun, knives, and a machete.







"Senior Whitehall sources have told the BBC that the Woolwich attackers are thought to have tried to film their attack whilst shouting "Allahu Akbar" - God is Great, says political editor Nick Robinson.

The men were said to have been of Muslim appearance.

The Prime Minister is expected to speak to the Home Secretary at 18:15 BST from a train to Paris about what is now being treated by government as a suspected terrorist attack, Mr Robinson says."

Off the BBC

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Incident in Woolwich. Sky news now live

seems the man attacked was a solider from the barracks wearing a help for heros tshirt.. a car pulled up and attacked the soldier with a machete..

the men remained at the scene and were shot by police.. 1 person has died...

Where have you heard that?

Where have you heard that?

sky news, bbc news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22630304

lets hope its not race related...

Thanks bud

muslims attacked the solider

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

Incident in Woolwich. Sky news now live

seems the man attacked was a solider from the barracks wearing a help for heros tshirt.. a car pulled up and attacked the soldier with a machete..

the men remained at the scene and were shot by police.. 1 person has died...

Local barracks saying it is not one of their guys.

Whoever they are they are scum, i hope the two of them are dead, not let out of prison in 10 years

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

No mention of colour.

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

Firstly, im not assuming their Muslims, however, back to your point the trouble with this country is that we are now scared to use the word muslim in incidents like this incase it upsets them.

We are turning into prisoners in our own country.

Im not racist but it pisses me off when people come into our country and want to live their way. Imagine we went to they're country to follow our beliefs? We wouldnt last two mins

[Igovernor]

They are actually both black

Last edited by Igovernor on Wed May 22, 2013 4:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

No mention of colour.

According to the Daily Mail and their "Witnesses" it was 2 black men but as I said it seems so could be completely wrong

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

No mention of colour.

correct, lots of speculation and rumours on the attackers.... nothing is confirmed and whether white, black, muslim, christian, jew whatever... its a barbaric attack and somebody has lost their life...

Some serious weapons on the scene all concealed by plastic bags.

Some serious weapons on the scene all concealed by plastic bags.

unbelievable......

First two pages i read on twitter were...

Boya Dee ‏@BOYADEE 2h Then boydem turn up!! Woolwich feds didnt want it... They had to wait for armed response.. Helicopters everyting...



James Beckett ‏@JimmyBeckett92 4m Disgusting whats happened to a soldier in #woolwich being decapitated by '2 black guys'. First hand account -http://www.lbc.co.uk/listen-woolwich-eyewitness-describes-attack-72446 …

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

Firstly, im not assuming their Muslims, however, back to your point the trouble with this country is that we are now scared to use the word muslim in incidents like this incase it upsets them.

We are turning into prisoners in our own country.

Im not racist but it pisses me off when people come into our country and want to live their way. Imagine we went to they're country to follow our beliefs? We wouldnt last two mins

And if they are british

Police treating as terrorist attack. Cobra been called

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

Firstly, im not assuming their Muslims, however, back to your point the trouble with this country is that we are now scared to use the word muslim in incidents like this incase it upsets them.

We are turning into prisoners in our own country.

Im not racist but it pisses me off when people come into our country and want to live their way. Imagine we went to they're country to follow our beliefs? We wouldnt last two mins

My point had nothing to do with incase we offended them but the point was people were throwing around accusations. For all you know it had nothing to do with race or religon

Police treating as terrorist attack. Cobra been called

This is going to go into overtime.

quote from news website...


One witness, identified only as James, said two men had attacked another man, aged about 20, who was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt.

"These two guys were crazed. They were just animals. They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road and left his body there," he told LBC radio.

He said after the "horrendous" attack, the two men, who were also in their 20s, stood around, waving knives and a gun, and asked people to take pictures of them "as if they wanted to be on TV or something".

"They were oblivious to anything, they were more worried about having their photo taken, running up and down the road," he

They cut the man's head off apparently. Psychos.

Police treating as terrorist attack. Cobra been called

Cobra akways coneyned if a serving soldier is murdered

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

Firstly, im not assuming their Muslims, however, back to your point the trouble with this country is that we are now scared to use the word muslim in incidents like this incase it upsets them.

We are turning into prisoners in our own country.

Im not racist but it pisses me off when people come into our country and want to live their way. Imagine we went to they're country to follow our beliefs? We wouldnt last two mins

My point had nothing to do with incase we offended them but the point was people were throwing around accusations. For all you know it had nothing to do with race or religon

Wasn't having a dig at you. Making a point from your point. I agree with what you said but wanted to add my point.

Could have worded it better. Sorry mate

cobra can be called for anything.....


its just cabinet office briefing room a


london riots, firefighters strike etc....

Wouldn't be at all surprised if it was a terror attack as al qaeda have said for some time they want to behead a serving soldier in this country. The quicker we f*cking kick all this scum from our country the better!! We'll end up having a race war in this country.

Last edited by Caerphillyblue1927 on Wed May 22, 2013 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

muslims attacked the solider

Do you actually know that? As none of the news sites are reporting it

Edit: It seems they were 2 black men whether they were muslim or not is another thing

Firstly, im not assuming their Muslims, however, back to your point the trouble with this country is that we are now scared to use the word muslim in incidents like this incase it upsets them.

We are turning into prisoners in our own country.

Im not racist but it pisses me off when people come into our country and want to live their way. Imagine we went to they're country to follow our beliefs? We wouldnt last two mins

My point had nothing to do with incase we offended them but the point was people were throwing around accusations. For all you know it had nothing to do with race or religon

Wasn't having a dig at you. Making a point from your point. I agree with what you said but wanted to add my point.

Could have worded it better. Sorry mate

No problem I do agree with what you say generaly though

quote from news website...


One witness, identified only as James, said two men had attacked another man, aged about 20, who was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt.

"These two guys were crazed. They were just animals. They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road and left his body there," he told LBC radio.

He said after the "horrendous" attack, the two men, who were also in their 20s, stood around, waving knives and a gun, and asked people to take pictures of them "as if they wanted to be on TV or something".

"They were oblivious to anything, they were more worried about having their photo taken, running up and down the road," he

Yep Sky have just given a witness version like that.