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UK stabbing suspect held under mental health law

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Press Trust of India London

A 25-year-old knife-wielding man arrested during a New Year's Eve terror attack in Manchester is being detained under the Mental Health Act after an assessment by medical experts, police said on Wednesday.

The man stabbed three people - including a police officer - at Manchester Victoria station before being arrested on Monday night.

Greater Manchester Police said the counter-terrorism investigation launched in the wake of the attack on Monday night remains ongoing, including a search of a property associated with the suspect in north Manchester.

"The 25-year-old man arrested following the incident at Manchester Victoria Station has been assessed by specialist medical staff and detained under the Mental Health Act. The Counter Terrorism investigation remains ongoing," Greater Manchester Police said in a statement.

 

"There is nothing to suggest the involvement of other people in this attack, but confirming this remains a main priority for the investigation," it said.

Footage of the aftermath of the attack showed a man being held down by five police officers, with blood stains on the pavement. Other footage showed the suspect shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) as he was put in the back of a police van and he was also heard screaming "Long live the Caliphate."

A couple in their 50s were seriously injured in what was described by eyewitnesses as a "frenzied" and "random" attack on a platform at Manchester Victoria Metrolink tram station. The woman suffered injuries to her face and stomach, while the man has injuries to his stomach.

A police sergeant in his 30s was also wounded as he and three other British Transport Police officers rushed to the scene. He sustained shoulder injuries but has since been discharged from hospital.

Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham said the attack had been deliberately staged close to the site of the Manchester Arena bombing, which killed 22 people in May 2017 during an Ariana Grande concert.

"This attack has brought back some very painful memories for everyone involved, particularly given how close it was to the Manchester Arena, which appears to have been deliberate," Burnham said.

"But the city is strong, united and resilient and the way the incident was dealt with by the emergency services and others was exemplary," he said.

Security and emergency officers have been praised for their "fearless" response in containing the attacker with pepper spray and Taser guns. Police recovered two knives at the scene, but do not yet know if both were used.

The suspect was initially arrested on attempted murder charges as Greater Manchester Police declared the stabbings a "critical incident".

As Counter Terrorism Police North West took charge of the investigation, the force declared that it was treating the incident as terror related.

A home in Cheetham Hill area of north Manchester thought to be the suspect's last known address is being searched by counter-terrorism police.

Neighbours have suggested the suspect is of Somali-origin and was thought to have lived in the Netherlands before moving to the UK around 10 to 15 years ago.

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First Published: Jan 02 2019 | 8:05 PM IST

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