Counter-terrorism police read about Facebook ‘massacre’ posts after Leeds assault

Facebook posts showing to comprise plans for a “massacre” are being tested via counter-terrorism police investigating an assault by which two ladies had been critically injured in Leeds.

A person, 38, who suffered a “self-inflicted injury” used to be arrested and two guns – a crossbow and a firearm – had been recovered from the scene, on the preferred Otley Run pub move slowly direction within the north of town.

He used to be described on Sunday as a “key suspect” via police who mentioned he remained in sanatorium in a crucial situation.

One of the 2 ladies – who’re elderly 19 and 31 – has been discharged from sanatorium, however the different underwent surgical procedure after struggling life-threatening accidents and is in a solid situation.

Police additionally mentioned they had been conscious about video being circulated on social media, a connection with photos which looked as if it would had been taken from a passing automobile and presentations a black-clad guy sporting an put in force and with a elevate case slung over his shoulder.

The head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Det Ch Supt James Dunkerley, mentioned officials had been running at tempo to ascertain the whole information and instances of Saturday’s incident, however added: “We are not currently seeking anyone else in connection with this matter, which has caused understandable concern. We believe it was an isolated incident.”

Alex Sobel, the Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, mentioned he had spoken to the house secretary, Yvette Cooper, on Sunday afternoon and would stay in contact together with her in addition to the safety minister, Dan Jarvis, relating to sides of the incident.

“I want to thank local people and the blue light services in how they responded to this and the fact that the area has now been cleared and is no longer a live crime scene,” he mentioned.

“The broader implications of an attack in which lethal weapons were found in a very busy area where the country’s most populous pub crawl takes place is a real concern,” he added.

Sobel mentioned he could be elevating the problem of the provision of guns connected to the incident, and how you can stay folks protected when they’re status in massive teams and queueing.

Counter-terror police are analyzing quite a few Facebook posts – together with one that looked as if it would come with plans for a “mass-murder” assault – to decide if they’re connected to the attacker or the incident.

The put up seemed prior to the assault on a Facebook account that indicated far-right sympathies in addition to reflecting the “mixed ideology” that has increasingly more been at the radar of counter-terrorism police.

The posts indexed as “targets” scholars, nightclub goers and “neurotypicals”. Reference used to be made to a “manifesto” written via a person who killed 51 folks all through shootings at a mosque and Islamic centre in New Zealand in 2019.

Facebook’s mother or father corporate, Meta, advised the Guardian that it had taken motion to take away an account it sounds as if related to the incident.

The house secretary won additional updates on Sunday from counter-terrorism police after she used to be first briefed within the wake of the assault.

The incident led to surprise around the neighborhood within the Headingley house of Leeds over the weekend, the place massive numbers of scholars and others mechanically participate within the pub move slowly direction, days prior to the summer season time period begins for lots of college classes.

One venue, Taylor’s Sports Bar and Grill, remained closed all weekend because of the police investigation however posted on Facebook that it meant to reopen on Monday,

“While appalling to witness some of the scenes first-hand, lowlife scum like this will never win in our society,” the observation added.

A member of team of workers at some other bar mentioned that they had noticed dozens of emergency provider cars descend at the house on Saturday afternoon after the assault, even supposing it took hours for folks to turn out to be totally conscious about what had took place.

“We were told and were on high alert, but otherwise you wouldn’t have known. It wasn’t until the evening that people started asking about it,” they mentioned. “I think people have been really shaken by it.”

A fortnight in the past, the Guardian printed that counter-terrorism police and the National Crime Agency had arrange a brand new joint taskforce to take on younger men fixated with violence on-line which is incessantly additionally fuelled via “strongly misogynistic” on-line subject matter.