London's Russell Square terror knife attack leaves woman dead and five injured

'I heard a scream, then I saw the blood': Woman in her 60s is killed and five injured as a man, 19, 'goes on the rampage in a terrorist knife attack' in Russell Square where a 7/7 bomb was detonated

Woman in her 60s has died and five others injured after a man 'went on the rampage' with a knife in central London

Police were called to Russell Square at about 10.30pm last night after receiving reports of man 'brandishing knife'

Man Tasered and arrested but police are refusing to rule out further suspects and whether they are hunting anyone

Scotland Yard said incident is being treated as possible terror offence with it being 'one possibility being explored'

By EMMA GLANFIELD and JAMES DUNN and GARETH DAVIES FOR MAILONLINE and OLLIE GILLMAN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 00:51 GMT, 4 August 2016 | UPDATED: 05:36 GMT, 4 August 2016

A woman in her 60s has died and five other people have been injured after a man with 'significant mental health issues' allegedly 'went on the rampage' with a knife in a possible terror-related attack in central London.

Police confirmed a 19-year-old man was arrested after being Tasered in connection with a mass stabbing in front of horrified onlookers in Russell Square at about 10.30pm last night. He remains in hospital under armed guard.

Fears that the knifeman operated with an accomplice were raised in the early hours as the Met refused to rule out further suspects. One witness said he saw 'a man flee on a motorbike', while another described hearing a victim 'screaming and covered in blood'. Photos show what appear to be a bladed weapon abandoned at the scene.

Officers arrived to find six people injured including a woman who died a short time later. The condition of the other five - one man and four women - is not known and police have not yet released their names or ages

The woman's body remained on the pavement at the scene with a forensics tent covering it until the early this morning, when it was covered and taken into a waiting ambulance.

Police have cordoned off the area and a heavy presence of officers and paramedics remain at the scene. Additional police patrols are in place in London this morning, and police helicopters hovered over the city well into the early hours.

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A woman in her 60s has died and five other people have been injured after a man with 'significant mental health issues' allegedly 'went on the rampage'
with a knife in a possible terror-related attack in central London

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The woman's body remained on the pavement at the scene with a forensics tent covering it until the early this morning, when it was covered and taken
into a waiting ambulance

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Police have cordoned off the area and a heavy presence of officers and paramedics remain at the scene this morning

The incident occurred in the same area as where one of the 7/7 bombs detonated in 2005. A total of 26 people were killed when Germaine Lindsay, 19, detonated a suicide bomb on a Piccadilly line Tube as it moved between King's Cross station and Russell Square.

Last night's incident also comes just hours after the Met unveiled its brand new elite anti-terror unit.

Scotland Yard confirmed that 'terrorism is one possibility being explored at this stage' and also said that early indications suggest that 'mental health is a significant factor in this case'.

They confirmed murder detectives and the counter-terrorism unit had been brought in to investigate the killing.

One source said the suspect was seen to go 'on the rampage' with the weapon. Another witness said he heard one of the victim's scream before running over to help them.

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A woman has died and up to five people have been injured after a man allegedly 'went on the rampage' with a knife in a possible terror-related attack in
London. Pictured: A forensic tent thought to be covering the woman's body in Russell Square

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Police forensic officers are pictured searching the scene with torches in the early hours as they continue to gather evidence

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Forensic officers have remained at the scene into the early hours to gather evidence after a woman died and five others were injured when a man 'went on
the rampage' and began 'injuring people with a knife' near a park in Russell Square, London

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Additional police officers have been deployed to the central London area to reassurance residents as it emerged the Met is treating the incident as a
possible terror-related offence. The 'stabbing' occurred in the same area as one of the 7/7 bombings

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A forensic expert analyses what is believed to be the weapon used by the attacker during the mass stabbing 'terror' attack

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Police and paramedics are pictured at the scene following the mass stabbing in Russell Square at around 10.30pm last night

An eyewitness, who goes by the name Michael, told MailOnline that he saw a woman - aged around 25 - with blood pouring from her back. He said another woman of the same age was suffering a wounded arm.

He said he believed the victims were heard speaking in Spanish.

He said: 'I heard a scream, and then we went to the park and I saw a girl lying on the floor with blood coming from her back. Another girl had blood on her arm.'

The two women were with two men who were shouting 'tío lo vi todo' in Spanish, meaning 'I saw everything'.

The witness added: 'They all spoke Spanish so I guess they were a group. I only saw the victim and the girl with the arm stabbed from that group.

'I just saw blood just next to her. She was lying on the floor with a friend hugging her.'

Another witness, Jeremy Cheng, said: 'A woman with whom I spoke said that police told her that a gang of some sort was involved – and that they fled south or south west.

'But that is just speculation.'

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Forensic officers could be seen collecting evidence as a forensic tent covered a section of the pavement in Russell Square

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Police officers negotiate a forensic tent at the scene which is opposite the Imperial Hotel and near a park in Russell Square

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Police officers guard the scene where one women died and several were injured in a suspected knife attack in Russell Square
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A fully-suited forensic officer inspects the scene with a torch as police remain at the scene to gather evidence over the killing

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Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said in a press conference that terrorism was one line of inquiry

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Police confirmed a man was arrested after he was seen 'brandishing a knife' and 'injuring people' in front of horrified onlookers in Russell Square last night.
Pictured: A heavy police presence remained at the scene overnight due to the incident


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A forensic tent is seen covering a section of the pavement - believed to be covering the woman's body - in Russell Square at around 2am today following
the incident last night

Robbie Deegan, 22, said: 'I saw people running and screaming when we came over here to see what the hustle and bustle was about. We heard a commotion and saw people running away from the square.'

Paul Hutchinson, a taxi driver, said he passed the incident shortly after it occurred.

He said: 'I drove past Russell Square and the road wasn't shut but the pavement was all taped off by police, lots of armed police, lots of cars and the body was just lying on the floor. You could see the boots sticking out from under the cloth.

'Loads of armed police, cars with lights on and the body on the floor.'

A 35-year-old man, who did not wish to be named, said he saw three men fleeing nearby Queen Square shortly after the incident. 'One man fled on a motorcycle heading down a pedestrianised area,' he said. 'He obviously looked in a hurry.'

Meanwhile, a guest at the Imperial Hotel said he saw a man lying on the ground. He told MailOnline: 'There was all sorts of commotion going on. I didn't think it was anything serious at first, but perhaps it's more sinister.'

He added that guests at the hotel have been asked to enter through the rear entrance as the front is cordoned off by police.

Local resident Helen Edwards, 31, said the panic reminded her of the 7/7 attacks. She was woken by the bus bomb at Tavistock Square on July 7, 2005.

Talking about last night's incident, she said: 'It was a bit surreal. It brings back memories of 7/7. I was woken by the bus bomb that day.

'I was walking near Russell Square tonight when I saw several armed police officers and armed response units. I walked around the cordon and saw an ambulance and loads of people.'

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Police officers are seen patrolling the scene in Russell Square after the possible 'terror-related' mass stabbing last night

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The forensic tent remained covering a section of the pavement as evidence appeared to lay scattered on the floor overnight

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Police officers investigate the mass stabbing at Russell Square which left one woman dead and five other people injured

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Much of the area has been cordoned off by police as patrols are stepped up in the area to 'reassure residents' after the attack

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A forensic tent is seen covering the pavement in Russell Square with a heavy police cordon in place in the early hours

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The shocking mass stabbing incident occurred in Russell Square in central London at about 10.30pm last night

SO WHERE WERE THEY? 'TERRORIST ATTACK' COMES JUST HOURS AFTER SCOTLAND YARD SHOWBOATED NEW HEAVILY ARMED COUNTER -TERROR UNIT

The mass stabbing in Russell Square came just hours after the Met Police unveiled its brand new anti-terror unit.
Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe unveiled the plan to put more highly visible patrols, armed to the teeth with pistols and semi-automatic SIG Carbine rifles, at major landmarks as a deterrent to potential attackers.
As well as guns, the new generation of armed officers also have BMW F800GS motorbikes to allow them to scramble to an incident anywhere in the capital and speed boats so they can deploy from the Thames.
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The mass stabbing in Russell Square came just hours after the Met Police unveiled its brand new anti-terror unit. Met Commissioner Sir Bernard
Hogan-Howe announced the plan for more highly visible patrols and heavily armed officers

The new officers are masked in order to protect their identity from attackers, which can help in a variety of different circumstances - from hostage situations, targeted attacks to kidnap attempts. The masks provide an extra layer of safety for counter-terrorism officers as they carry out their various specialist tasks.

But yesterday's announcement - dubbed Operation Hercules by the Met - came against a backdrop of warnings from the Police Federation that it will take two years to deliver a promised increase of 1,500 in the trained-strength of armed officers across the country.

And, embarrassingly, just hours after a showboating attempt on the Thames to unveil the counter-terrorism unit - police found themselves scrambled to the possible 'terror related' mass stabbing in Russell Square.

More British police officers are carrying guns after a spate of attacks on the continent, including the Bastille Day massacre in Nice and the murder of a priest in a Normandy Church last week. The expanded firearms units were promised after the Paris attacks last November.

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The new police patrols have specialist speed boats so they can deploy from the River Thames in an emergency. However, just hours after the anti-terror
unit was unveiled, they were missing from the possible terror related attack in Russell Square


Other witnesses took to Twitter to share news of the attack. Abdulrahman Muammar wrote: '#London Russell Square locked down & surrounded with police officers. Many police cars & ambulances.'

Helen Edwards tweeted: '#Police guarding cordon around #russellsquare #bedfordplace #southamptonrow. Saw armed police & paramedics earlier. I saw armed police guarding the cordon around Russell Square plus ambulance at other end of Bedford place.'

Meanwhile, Lauren Brittny said: 'Sadly my brother and his mates witnessed the stabbing in Russell Square. And the police obviously arrived too late. My brother rang me at time as he was in shock. But all he said was the man quickly jogged passed him.

'My brother was at UCL summer camp and they were returning from a theatre trip . His mentors were guarding them so he was unable to do much I wish he filmed the guy. But everyone was stunned by the situation.

'My brother said the woman was surrounded with her friend he suspected they were on a Hen night.'

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A woman has died and up to five people have been injured in a possible terrorist knife attack in Russell Square in central London, police said. Pictured:
Police and paramedics at the scene

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A police van remains parked in the road outside the Imperial Hotel in Russell Square in the early hours of this morning following the incident which could be
'terror-related', police say


Scotland Yard confirmed the incident is being treated as a possible terror offence.

The Met said one suspect was detained after being Tasered at the scene of the incident - opposite the three-star Imperial Hotel and near a quiet park.

A spokesman said: 'Police were called at 10.33pm to reports of a man seen in possession of a knife injuring people at Russell Square, WC1.

'Officers attended the scene along with the London Ambulance Service.

'Up to six people were found injured at the location.

'A female was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later.

'We await an update on the condition of the other persons injured and details of any other injuries.'

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A forensic tent is seen covering part of the pavement in Russell Square following the 'stabbing'

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A police cordon remained at the scene in Russell Square in the early hours of this morning


Police added that the man was arrested at the scene six minutes after the incident.
The spokesman added: 'A man was arrested at 10.39pm and a Taser was discharged by one of the arresting officers.

'Terrorism is one possibility being explored at this stage.'

Additional police units have been deployed to the area to provide reassurance. Extra patrols will also be carried out in the area near the British Museum in Bloomsbury.
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

HISTORY OF TERROR ATTACKS IN BRITAIN

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Lee Rigby was murdered outside his barracks in Woolwich, London, in May 2013

July 7 2005 (7/7) - 52 people were killed and over 700 more injured when four Islamic extremists bombed the London underground.

Four bombs exploded within fifty minutes in what was the worst terror attack ever in Britain in July 2005.

May 22 2013 - Lee Rigby was murdered outside his barracks in Woolwich, London.

His murderers, two Muslim extremists yelled 'Allahu Akbar' and 'You (Britain) and America will never be safe' during their sentencing at the court in Central London.

They ran him down in a car before murdering him with a machete as onlookers watched on in horror, bringing terror to a busy London street.

July 7 2015 - Mohammed Rehman, 25, plotted with his wife Sana Ahmed Khan, 24, to blow up Westfield Shopping Centre or the London Underground on the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings.

Their plot was only foiled when Rehman - who called himself the 'silent bomber' - sent a tweet asking for advice on which was the best target.

Officers found 10kg of nitrate explosives - double the amount of powder used in the failed 21/7 London bombings - in his home. The pair have been jailed for life.

December 5 2015 - Somali-born Muhiddin Mire, 30, went on a knife rampage at a ticket hall at Leytonstone Underground station and tried to slit one man's throat.

He had images of Fusilier Lee Rigby and British executioner Jihadi John on his mobile phone, along with material linked to the terror group.

As he held a knife to his throat, an onlooker famously said 'You ain't no Muslim bruv' in footage that got widespread media coverage.

April 2016 - Police discover that Mohamed Abrini, the man who played a crucial role in both the Paris attack that killed 130 people last November and the Brussels bombings, which left 32 dead, targeted Britain.

French prosecutors said he had visited Birmingham and they found images of a football stadium and a shopping centre on his phone when they arrested him.

July 20 2016 - Two men tried to kidnap an airman at RAF Marham, Norfolk, but he managed to fight them off, punching and headbutting the man who grabbed him. The two men fled and are still at large.

Yesterday - British soldiers were warned not to wear their uniforms near the base in RAF Aldershot after two men were seen acting suspiciously near the barracks.

BREAKING NEWS: Woman killed and five people injured in a 'terrorist knife attack in central London' after man went on rampage in Russell Square where 7/7 bomb was detonated