world
UK Police Rearrest Man on Terrorism Suspicion in Ann Widdecombe Death
A 28-year-old man from Rotherham was rearrested on suspicion of terrorism offenses in the killing of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Parliament the death is being treated as a terrorist act.
Jul 13, 7:41 AM·1m read9 sources
SK
+1
IN
Murder probeTerror probe
Al JazeeraAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
UK police have rearrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism in connection with the death of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs on Monday that the case is now being investigated as a terrorist act.
Post by @SkyNews on X
Counter Terrorism Policing South East has taken over the investigation after new information emerged.
The same man, a white British resident of Rotherham, was first arrested on suspicion of murder at an address in Rotherham at around 9 p.m. on Saturday. Police believe Widdecombe, 78, was attacked at her home in Haytor, Devon, at about 12:30 p.m.
On Wednesday 8 July. She was found dead with serious injuries at 11:40 a.m. the following day. CCTV footage from 07:51 that morning shows a man in a white shirt and shorts entering a red vehicle in Rotherham with a long object protruding from his shorts pocket.
The two locations are roughly 270 miles apart. Devon and Cornwall Police received more than 120 reports following a public appeal. The suspect was not known to the government's Prevent anti-terrorism programme, Mahmood confirmed.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman of Devon and Cornwall Police said there was nothing to suggest the murder was politically motivated and that officers remained open-minded about motive. Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, said the force is pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for the attack.
