A suspect has been arrested in connection with a knife attack on a train in South London which left at least one person injured.
An individual was heard shouting “I want to kill a Muslim”, according to eyewitnesses quoted by Sky News, with multiple people suggesting the individual in question had made other Islamophobic comments before carrying out the attack.
One witness, who gave his name as Richard, told Sky News: “As he walks into my carriage, he looks right at me. He has a knife … 5/6 inches with a black handle. He approaches a woman wearing a hijab sitting opposite.”
“But the knifeman then said: ‘I don’t want a Muslim women. I want me a Muslim man.’
“He looked like a man possessed. He was walking at a fast pace through the carriage.”
Another witness claimed on Twitter that the attacker shouted: “I want to kill a Muslim.”
#foresthill The attacker shouted " Who is Muslim, I want to kill a Muslim approached the guy sitting with his wife on the 1st carriage
— Marmite Mustafi (@KastratiMet) December 12, 2016
However, the British Transport Police has said the incident – which took place on an Overground train at Forest Hill station at lunchtime today, is ‘not being treated as terrorism-related at this time’.
‘We were called to the station at 1.18pm, after receiving reports that a man had been assaulted on a train,’. a BTP statement reads.
‘The man, who is in his forties, was taken to hospital with injuries consistent with having been stabbed. He remains in hospital in a serious, but not life threatening, condition.
‘A 38-year-old man from London was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. He remains in police custody,’
Police have made an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Anyone with information which could be of assistance is being urged to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 205 of 12/12.
