Counter-terror police lead investigation into school stabbing

Twelve year old boys attacked with a knife by a 13 year old boy. All through the troubles in Northern Ireland children of all faiths knew they were safe in school. Schools were a sanctuary, in the full sacred sense of the word. Not any more. 

From the Telegraph and the Daily Mail

Counter-terror police are leading an investigation into a double stabbing at a school in north-west London.

Two boys, aged 12 and 13, are in a serious condition after the attack, which happened at Kingsbury High School, on Bacon Lane in Brent, at Tuesday lunchtime.

In the middle of a classroom just before lunch, a teenager pulled out a knife and stabbed a 13-year-old boy in the neck and back while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’, witnesses said. Seconds later, a second boy aged 12 was knifed in front of screaming children at Kingsbury High School in Brent,

On Tuesday evening, a 13-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Detectives said the attack had not been declared a terrorist incident, but that counter-terror police were leading the investigation because of the “surrounding circumstances” and suspicions it was an ideologically motivated attack.

Maeve O’Callaghan-Harrington, who lives locally, said she heard children sobbing as they left school with their parents. She said: ‘I walked outside and heard one boy saying, ‘Mummy, Mummy, it was in his neck’.

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said police were ‘keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind the attack’.

He added: ‘The suspect, who we believe to be 13, left the scene following the stabbing. After urgent inquiries, our officers arrested him and also recovered a weapon which we believe to have been used in the stabbing. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody for questioning by our officers.’