Manchester Victoria station stabbings ‘terror related’, say police

The stabbing of three people – including a police officer – at Manchester Victoria station on New Year’s Eve is being treated as a terror related incident, police have confirmed.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Two knives were recovered at the scene and a property is being searched in the Cheetham Hill area.

The BBC understands the security services are assisting police.

In a briefing on Tuesday morning Greater Manchester Police said they were keeping an open mind about the motive.

The three victims were taken to a nearby hospital with “serious” but not life-threatening injuries.

A woman in her 50s suffered injuries to her face and stomach, while a man – also in his 50s – has injuries to his stomach.

Manchester Victoria railway station has reopened after the stabbings.

Prime Minister Theresa May has tweeted about the incident:

Manchester Metrolink said services to the station are operating “to the normal pattern” but advised of “minor delays”.

Officers said counter terrorism police were leading the inquiry, but they were keeping an open mind on the motive.

The officer, a police sergeant in his 30s, was stabbed in the shoulder and released from hospital on Tuesday.

The Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he wished those injured a “full recovery”.

BBC 5 live producer Sam Clack, who had been at the station at the time, said he saw a man stabbed on a tram platform at the station “feet from me”.

Mr Clack also said he heard the knifeman shouting “Allah” during the attack, along with a slogan criticising Western governments.

He added he was “close to jumping on the tracks” as the attacker had a “long kitchen knife”.

Greater Manchester Police, which declared the attack a “critical incident”, said it understood that people would be worried but there was “no intelligence to suggest that there is any wider threat at this time”.

‘Pure fear’

Mr Clack said he first “heard this most blood-curdling scream and looked down the platform”.

“It looked like they were having a fight, but the woman was screaming in this blood-curdling way. I saw police in high-vis come towards him. He came towards me.

“I looked down and saw he had a kitchen knife with a black handle with a good, 12in blade. It was just fear, pure fear.”

He said police used pepper spray and a Taser on the detained man, who he said had been “resisting arrest”.

He said he saw “six or seven” officers on top of the man, who he described as “very skittish”.

“He was very aggressive and very intent on causing more harm than he actually did,” he said.

“It was very, very scary.”

Police said the woman had injuries to her face and abdomen and the man had injuries to his abdomen.

The New Year firework display in Albert Square went ahead.

Source: bbc.co.uk