Police in Britain have ruled out terrorism as a motive after 11 people were injured, two of them seriously, in a stabbing attack on a train near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire yesterday.
According to British Transport Police (BTP), two men had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder — a 32-yr-old Black British national and a 35-year-old British national of Caribbean descent, reports RTE.
However, tonight, only one man remains a suspect – he’s 35 and of Caribbean descent.
In a statement issued this morning, police confirmed that ten victims were taken to hospital following the incident, while an eleventh person later attended hospital independently.
Initial reports suggested nine people had sustained life-threatening injuries, but after receiving treatment, four have since been discharged, with two remaining in a critical condition, reports RTE.
BTP Superintendent John Loveless stated that there is currently no indication the attack was terrorism-related.
He explained that counter-terrorism officers had initially assisted with the response but that the case is no longer being treated as a terror investigation, reports RTE.
He said: “British Transport Police declared a major incident yesterday, and counter-terrorism policing were initially supporting our investigation, reports RTE.”
“However, at this stage, there is nothing to suggest that this is a terrorist incident, reports RTE.”
“This is a British Transport Police investigation, and we continue to work to establish at pace, the full circumstances and the motivations that have led to this incident, reports RTE.”
“At this early stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the cause of this incident,” reports RTE.
Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla said they were “truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack” on the train, reports RTE.
“Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with those affected, and their loved ones,” the King said and expressed gratitude to the emergency services for their response, reports RTE.
Britain’s Defence Minister John Healey said early indications suggest it was “an isolated attack”.
“The early assessment is that this was an isolated incident, an isolated attack,” Mr Healey told Sky News this morning, reports RTE.
BTP said a major incident had been declared, and at one stage invoked “Plato” — the code used by police and emergency services during a “marauding terror attack” — before that status was later withdrawn, reports RTE.
An eyewitness told Sky News that one of the suspects had been brandishing a large knife before being tasered by officers, while another, Olly Foster, told the BBC he was on the train when someone ran past saying that a person was stabbing “everyone, everything”, reports RTE.
“I put my hand on this chair…and then I look at my hand, and it’s covered in blood. And then I look at the chair, and there’s blood all over the chair. And then I look ahead and there’s blood on all the chairs,” he said, reports RTE.
Mr Foster added that an older man intervened to protect a younger girl from being stabbed, sustaining wounds to his head and neck, while other passengers used clothing to help stop the bleeding.
He said the ordeal “felt like forever,” reports RTE.
Footage shared on social media showed numerous emergency vehicles and police cars surrounding a station car park, with armed officers running toward a stationary train at Huntingdon station.
Forensic officers wearing protective suits and accompanied by a police dog were seen on the platform, reports RTE.
Local MP Ben Obese-Jecty described the event as a “truly horrific incident”.
“My thoughts are with all those victims who were injured during this heinous attack,” he wrote on X, reports RTE.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the attack was “deeply concerning”.
“My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response,” he added, reports RTE.
Train operator LNER said that disruption on the East Coast Mainline between London Kings Cross and several northern destinations — including Lincoln, Doncaster, Leeds, Bradford Forster Square, and Harrogate — is expected to continue until tomorrow, and passengers are advised to postpone travel if possible.
David Horne, managing director of LNER, said in a statement: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this serious incident, and our thoughts are very much with everyone involved, reports RTE.”
“I would like to thank the emergency services for their quick and professional response and the care they have provided to those injured. Anyone with information who hasn’t already spoken to police is urged to contact British Transport Police, reports RTE.”
“The safety and wellbeing of everyone affected will remain our priority. We will continue to do everything we can to support our customers and colleagues during this difficult time,” reports RTE.
A spokesperson for the Rail, Maritime and Transport union said: “We are horrified by the mass stabbing attack on an LNER train last night, reports RTE.”
“Our thoughts remain with the train crew and passengers who were either at work or going about their business on a busy Saturday night during this awful incident, reports RTE.”
“It is important we allow the emergency services and authorities to establish the full facts before commenting further,” reports RTE.
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