The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
PM ‘appalled and sickened’ after terrorist attack
INCIDENT: 25-year-old man from Reading arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and is currently being held in custody
The prime minister has said he was “appalled and sickened” after police declared the murder of three people in a Reading park to be a terrorist attack.
The incident, which took place at 7pm on Saturday, in Forbury Gardens in the town centre, also left another three people injured.
A 25-year-old man from Reading was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and is currently in custody.
The suspect is a Libyan refugee understood to have been granted asylum in the UK and mental health is being considered a major factor in the incident, a security source told the PA news agency. He is understood to be named Khairi Saadallah.
The suspect was freed from prison for a non-terror offence towards the end of last year, the PA news agency understands. The sentence was said to have been in excess of 12 months.
One witness described how he had stood staring without even blinking as he was arrested.
One of the victims was named by the Holt School in Wokingham as James Furlong, its head of history and government and politics.
A letter from the school, which has been shared online, describes Mr Furlong as a “kind and gentle man” who had a “real sense of duty and cared for each and every one of our students”.
Deliveroo driver Amir Hadyoon, 31, saw the suspect who was covered in blood arrested outside the job centre on Friar Street in Reading, a short distance from Forbury Gardens.
Mr Hadyoon told reporters the man had not resisted the officers, adding: “To me it looked very weird because he didn’t say a word. He didn’t care, he was just staring... he was just silent.
“He wasn’t even blinking, he looked really weird.”
Investigators have said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.
Boris Johnson said he is “appalled and sickened” by the suspected terror attack and pledged “we will not hesitate to take action” if there are lessons to be learned.
Thames Valley Police said yesterday morning the attack is now being treated as terrorism and that counter-terrorism police would now be taking over the investigation.
Chief Constable John Campbell, of Thames Valley Police, said: “Incidents of this nature are very rare, though I know that will be of little comfort to those involved and understand the concern that this incident will have caused amongst our local community.
“We will be working closely with our partners over the coming days and weeks to support the Reading community during this time, as well as with Counter-terror Police South East.”
He asked the public to avoid the area and also to “avoid speculation” about the attack as he appealed for any video footage to be shared with police only.