British news sites have blocked many of the you tube videos that have been put up on independent sites. I am trying to keep the content current so please bear with me. Liz.
Updates appear below the article
The murder in Woolwich yesterday was strange by any standards. A young man walking along John Wilson Street was knocked down by a dark blue car, hauled onto the pavement and hacked to death before being dumped back in the road. This happened at 14.20 in the afternoon in plain site of passers by.
Several of those passers by assumed the attackers were aiding the man after a road traffic accident when in fact he was being murdered in front of them, something that became apparent as the machete wielding attackers dragged his body into the road. In the words of an eyewitness:
When it was obvious the man was dead, and some reports say he was beheaded though this hasn’t been officially confirmed, the attackers never fled. They started talking to those who had witnessed the attack, asking them to take pictures and film them. They were making statements about British military engagements abroad and telling people to get rid of the government.
The way they referred to themselves seemed odd “…but in our land women see this every day…” seems to indicate an affiliation with a foreign nation, but seconds later they referred to “…our troops” withdrawing from Arab lands. The man spoke with a London accent but declared himself to be a follower of Islam.
When armed police arrived one of the men rushed them, holding the handgun and two bloodied knives. The police fired and both men were wounded one seriously. They were taken to different hospitals in London where they remain under armed guard.
Most of this was recorded on mobile phones by those witnessing the unfolding events. What isn’t known is who the victim was, though Whitehall confirmed this morning that he was a serving British soldier. It’s not known who the attackers are and what their exact motivation is. The EDL (English Defence League) called a protest last night and a crowd of 60 or so was dispersed by police under public order regulations.
The fact that a COBRA (Cabinet Office Briefing Room A) meeting was called very early on into this is odd, COBRA meetings are usually only called when there is a threat to the national interest, they are not usually called for murders however tragic.
0845 David Cameron chairs COBRA meeting
0920 GMT British military personnel told not to wear uniform off base
0940 Boris Johnson says “London is open and business carries on as usual”
0945 Admiral Lord West says the Woolwich attackers have Nigerian links
10.37 Metropolitan police are conducting searches in Lincolnshire in connection with Woolwich case
11.15 Four people arrested in Greenwich in connection with the murder. Three women and a teenaged boy taken in a police van from a house not far from the murder scene
11.35 Cameron speaks after COBRA meeting. Talks of the bravery of the armed forces. “we will not give into terrorism in any of its forms” he said. He speaks of extremism and terrorism and says that true Islam has no part in any terrorist acts. He will not comment on the men being known to the security forces prior to committing the murder in Woolwich.
12.12 One suspect named as Michael Adebalajo a UK citizen
Lizzie Bennett retired from her job as a senior operating department practitioner in the UK earlier this year. Her field was trauma and accident and emergency and she has served on major catastrophe teams around the UK. Lizzie publishes Underground Medic on the topic of preparedness.
Lizzie Bennett retired from her job as a senior operating department practitioner in the UK earlier this year. Her field was trauma and accident and emergency and she has served on major catastrophe teams around the UK. Lizzie publishes Underground Medic on the topic of preparedness.
