Chemical attack armed cops raid pizza takeaway
Nationwide manhunt continues for suspect
ARMED police yesterday raided a pizza takeaway where Abdul Ezedi worked, as the nationwide manhunt for the suspected chemical attack fugitive continues.
Ezedi, 35, is accused of pouring a strong corrosive alkali on his ex-partner and injuring her two young children, aged three and eight.
The 31-year-old victim may lose the sight in her right eye and remains sedated in hospital eight days after the attack. She had allegedly been lured into Ezedi’s car with her children.
Officers in protective suits raided Best Bite pizza restaurant in Forest Hall, Newcastle, yesterday morning. The boss of the takeaway, who asked not to be named, stressed that the police had found nothing during the raid.
He insisted that neither he or his staff have information on Ezedi’s whereabouts, adding: “The police did their checks. It is really stressful for me but it has nothing to do with us.” Another property in the city was also raided, with no arrests made.
Police say anyone found to have helped Ezedi – who has a severe facial injury – will be arrested, and a £20,000 reward for information leading to his capture has been offered.
The Met confirmed yesterday their latest sighting of him is now on Chelsea Bridge, in Central London, just after 11.25pm on January 31 – about four hours after the attack in Clapham, South London. He had walked along the banks of the Thames and at one point briefly entered Battersea Park.
Commander Jon Savell said of the Newcastle raids: “It involved armed officers targeting addresses linked to Ezedi.
“A team of 100 officers in London are also continuing to progress a range of inquiries, linking in with other forces and agencies.
“This includes meticulous work to examine CCTV footage, and we have now traced Ezedi’s movements for another 30 minutes.” Friends of the attacked woman have described her as “a devoted and loving mother”. They have launched a fundraising appeal to help the family and have praised her neighbours for being “angels” for helping in the aftermath of the attack. They said: “Her children are her life. She is generous to a fault and a wonderful cook and host. All she has ever wanted is a safe home for her and her beautiful, kind little girls.” Ezedi, originally from Afghanistan, was granted asylum at the third time of trying in 2020. It came after he was convicted at Newcastle crown court in 2018 of sexual assault and received a suspended sentence.
A bishop said rhetoric around asylum seekers in the UK is “reaching new lows”. Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, wrote to Home Secretary James Cleverly to criticise the language used by previous home secretaries.