Police treating Reading stabbings as terror attack

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Police have described the killing of three people in Reading's Forbury Gardens as an "horrific act".

Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said in a statement: "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families who will be mourning loved ones after this horrific act, and to all those who have been affected by it."

They added the investigation "continues to move at a fast pace".

Police cordons will continue to remain in place in Reading town centre while detectives work through the crime scene.

They also confirmed that the 25-year-old man from Reading, who was arrested initially on suspicion of murder, has now been re-arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 by detectives from CTPSE, which gives them more time to hold him in custody.

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• The man held over the killing of three people had come to the attention of MI5 in 2019, sources say.
• Sources say that Khairi Saadallah came to the attention of the security services after they received information that he had aspirations to travel abroad potentially for terrorism.
• When the information was further investigated, as the first stage of looking into a potential lead, no genuine threat or immediate risk was identified. No case file was opened which would have made him a target for further investigation.
• The 25-year-old lives in the Reading area and is from Libya.

Reading attack suspect 'known to MI5'

Khairi Saadallah held over three deaths came to the attention of security services in 2019, sources say.

Read more

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Some of Reading's busiest streets and thoroughfares lay eerily quiet this afternoon, as a maze of police cordons around the town blocked them off to the public.

Those cordons with a view of Forbury Gardens attracted onlookers: not for its tranquil and pruned gardens but as a place now associated with three killings being treated as a "terrorist incident".

Photographers could be seen snapping pictures of scene of crime officers in white boiler suits, while TV news crews - some from foreign networks - were using the park as a backdrop for live reports.

Reading is front and centre-stage.

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Tomorrow's lessons have been cancelled at the school were James Furlong worked.

The Holt School will remain open and counsellors will be available for all pupils and staff.

Support staff will also be on hand for all year groups at the site in Wokingham between 08:30 and 15:15 BST on Monday.

Meanwhile, the nearby St Paul's Church will be open from 09:00, for pupils wishing to light a candle, say a prayer, or talk.

The school says it will create a book of memories for Mr Furlong, to which members of the school can contribute.

Pupils taught by James Furlong and their parents, have paid tribute to him after the news he was killed in the Reading terror attack.

Jade Simon, a pupil at The Holt school from 2012-2017, told the PA news agency: "He really was an incredible teacher.

"He was funny and kind and always made history fun and entertaining. History was always one of my favourite subjects and Mr Furlong always encouraged it."

Keith Power, whose daughter attends the school, said: "He was a wonderful man. He was so helpful and supportive of my daughter. He had a real passion for history and teaching and was so caring of his pupils.

"It's so senseless. So much hatred in the world right now. I fear for my kids' futures."

"He truly inspired everyone he taught," wrote co-heads Anne Kennedy and Katie Pearce, of their head of history James Furlong.

In a letter to parents they added: "He was determined that our students would develop a critical awareness of global issues and in doing so, become active citizens and have a voice."

Mr Furlong was one of three people killed in the attack on Saturday.

As a police helicopter flies overhead, people in Reading have been reacting to the news that last night's stabbings are being considered a terror incident.

Oliver Connor, from Tilehurst, Reading said the attacks were "shocking".

"It's not something you expect from a town like Reading. I think people have been so preoccupied by the pandemic that people forget that this sort of risk exists," she added.

Belle Tunheim, from Slough, said: "I'm in disbelief. It could be that he might have a mental issue. You can never tell until it's been investigated properly."

Harry McCarthy, who has lived in Reading for eight years, said: "I'm disgusted with the way things are going in this country. What's going on in our society?"

Police and counter terror officers have urged members of the public not to post footage or images of the attack on social media.

Assistant commissioner for Metroplitan Police, Neil Basu, instead asked for footage to be shared with police.

He said the risk of terror attacks remained "substantial".

However, he said members of the public should be "alert not alarmed" and report anything suspicious.

Security sources have told the BBC that the man suspected of carrying out the Reading attack was brought to the attention of MI5 in 2019.

Sources say that Khairi Saadallah came to the attention of the security services after they received information that he had aspirations to travel abroad, potentially for terrorism.

When the information was further investigated, as the first stage of looking into a potential lead, no genuine threat or immediate risk was identified.

No case file was opened which would have made him a target for further investigation.

Greg Wilton said he was having a picnic in the park with his wife and friends when the attacks happened.

He said: "At one point without much noise we noticed a commotion on the other side of the park.

"We ran over and without seeing an attacker we found three men lying on the floor bleeding profusely from what we thought was their heads, necks or body.

"Another member of the public took off his T-shirt and tried to stop the bleeding alongside someone we assume to be his girlfriend.

"Me and my friend Tom put a second victim in the recovery position and tried to stem his bleeding from his ear with my canvas shopping bag.

"His breathing became increasingly irregular, and shallower until the police and paramedic arrived to help us.

"Another friend of mine Ranveer helped an Asian man who had also been stabbed in the face.

"This was in another part of the park from the victims we were helping and so we were separated.

"My wife Amy and I are obviously very shocked and shaken by what happened."

Three people have died in a stabbing attack in Reading's town centre.

Here is what we also know, so far:

• A number of people were stabbed by a man in Forbury Gardens in Reading's town centre about 19:00 BST on Saturday
• Three people were also injured
• Two people taken to hospital have been released while a third remains at Royal Berkshire Hospital in a stable condition
• The attack is being treated as terrorism and counter-terror police have taken over the investigation
• Khairi Saadallah, a 25-year-old Libyan national from Reading, has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out the attack

• Officers have launched a murder investigation and are not looking for anyone else
• The attack was not in any way associated with the Black Lives Matter protest which took place earlier in the day, police have said
• Police have urged social media users not to post any footage of the attack out of respect for the victims' families
• Lawrence Wort, 20, who saw the stabbings, said the suspect "shouted unintelligible words" before attacking multiple groups of people with a "five-inch knife"
• Several armed police officers were seen going into a block of flats off Basingstoke Road in Reading on Saturday night, but it is unclear whether this was linked to the attack

Lawrence Wort told the BBC he saw a man stab several people in Forbury Gardens in the town.

He said he thought it was a scuffle between the attacker and a group in the park.

"He stood up and I saw a massive knife in his hand. Probably at least 5in minimum.

"And then he turned and started looking towards us and that's when I just started shouting 'run'."

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The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said "people are united in their grief" following the terror attack in Reading.

"This was a horrific incident, our thoughts and our hearts go out to all those affected, particularly the family and friends of those who tragically died," he said.

"I think across Reading, across the country, people are united in their grief at this incident.”

"It’s very important that the investigation runs its course, but I will want to work with the government in response to this, to look at whether there’s lessons that can be learned, whether there need to be changes to the law.

"This is not a time for party politics."

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Chief Constable John Campbell from Thames Valley Police said "lives have been devastated" by the attack in Reading.

He said a suspect was apprehended within five minutes of the attack starting and praised the bravery of his officers.

"A number of members of the public" also helped at the scene, he said, thanking them.

He said there was "no wider risk to the public" and it was believed "no-one else is involved".

People have left flowers and messages near the scene of the stabbings in Reading.

One reads: "There are no words that anyone can say to express how horrible and senseless this was."

While another simply states: "Reading weeps."

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Three people died and three others were taken to hospital after the attack in Forbury Gardens on Saturday evening.

On Sunday morning large parts of the town centre remained cordoned off as police continue their investigation.