London Shocked by 'Terrorist' Machete Killing

Video shows men explaining that they killed man in retribution for Muslim deaths
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted May 22, 2013 1:22 PM CDT

A man was brutally killed with a machete-style weapon in London today, in what authorities suspect was a terrorist attack. Britain's home secretary called an emergency meeting to discuss the attack, which occurred in broad daylight, the Guardian reports. Witnesses reported seeing a man in a "Help for Heroes" T-shirt—who was reportedly a soldier—attacked in the street by two men, who were in turn shot by police after loudly exalting in their kill. They're currently being treated for their injuries.

"These two guys were crazed," a witness tells the BBC. "They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road." Then they hung around, waving guns and knives in the air and asking bystanders to take their pictures "as if they wanted to be on TV or something." Video has cropped up showing one man, hands bloodied, holding a cleaver and explaining the attack thusly:

  • "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you. The only reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day. This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We must fight them. I apologize that women had to witness this today. But in our land our women have to see the same."
David Cameron said there were "strong indications that it is a terrorist incident," and promised that the UK "will never buckle in the face of it." Cameron is in Paris, and had been planning to stay the night, but is flying back to deal with the crisis. The attack took place near a barracks in London's Woolwich district, and military officials there are reportedly trying to account for all the personnel stationed there. (More terrorism stories.)

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