The killing of three people in a stabbing rampage in a park in Reading is being treated as a terrorist attack, police have said.
A 25-year-old Libyan national is being held by police over the incident, in which at least three other people sustained serious injuries.
Thames Valley police said the attack had been declared a terrorist incident and counter-terrorism policing south east would be taking over the investigation.
Multiple sources confirmed the suspect was Khairi Saadallah, a Libyan refugee.
Security sources told the Guardian he had been granted asylum and had previously been in prison in the UK for a relatively minor conviction, not a terrorism offence.
The head of counter terrorism policing, Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Neil Basu, said: “From our inquiries so far, officers have found nothing to suggest that there was anyone else involved in this attack and presently we are not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident.”
He added: “Although the motivation for this horrific act is far from certain counter terrorism policing have taken responsibility for leading the investigation.”
Basu said 41 witnesses had so far come forward.
Boris Johnson chaired a meeting at 9am yesterday morning in No 10 to be updated on the latest developments, Downing Street said.
The Home Secretary, Priti Patel was present, as well as police and security officials.
Home Office sources said the suspect was a Libyan national.
Johnson, Patel and the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, were among senior public figures to have expressed condolences to the family and friends of the victims.
Detective chief inspector Ian Hunter said: “We have made one arrest and at this stage we are not looking for any other people in connection with this incident. There is no intelligence to suggest that there is any further danger to the public. However, we urge people to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious by calling police.”
CT officers were seen among a group of police officers entering a block of flats in Reading understood to have been the suspect’s home.
More than a dozen armed police officers carrying shields were seen entering the block at about 11pm.
The suspect returned to the property a few weeks ago but had been quiet since then, he added.
A neighbour, Mohamed Seliman, 29, said the suspect returned to the flat a few weeks ago and had been quiet.
There were several witnesses to the attacks, which took place at 7pm in the popular Forbury Gardens, home of the Maiwand Lion statue, the image of which has been adopted by Reading football club and the Reading Post newspaper.
Disturbing videos on social media showed scenes of victims receiving resuscitation treatment.
Lawrence Wort, 20, a personal trainer, said he was about 10 metres from the attack.
“The park was pretty full, a lot of people sat around drinking with friends, when one lone person walked through, suddenly shouted some unintelligible words and went around a large group of around 10, trying to stab them,” he told reporters.
Police tents and equipment are seen at the scene of the fatal stabbing incident that is being treated as terrorism in Forbury Gardens park in Reading, west of London, yesterday.
