Patrols “involve both uniformed and plain-clothed officers, supported by other resources, such as armed officers, police dogs, a network of CCTV cameras, and the thousands of rail staff we work alongside”.
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The suspect, 29-year-old Muhaydin Mire, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Monday, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
A 56-year-old man was left with “serious” stab wounds and another person was injured during the attack at around 19:00 GMT. “To be honest he just looked insane, he just had a insane look in his eye”, David Pethers, a man who claimed to have tackled the attacker, told Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper.
Police have increased patrols at transport hubs following the incident at Leytonstone station, a suburban stop on the Central Line, one of London Underground’s busiest. Saturday’s attack came at the end of a week in which the British parliament voted to extend air strikes on the Islamic State jihadist group from Iraq into Syria. Shouts are heard as the suspect is seen remonstrating with people before swinging at one of them.
Salim Patel, who runs a shop at the station, told reporters the suspect punched and kicked a man before stabbing him.
Mire also allegedly brandished his knife at other members of the public, aiming it at the throat of at least two of them.
Horrific images circulating on Twitter show a pool of blood on the floor and a confrontation between people in the station. Police confirmed a Taser had been used at the station.
“We are treating this as a terrorist incident”.
The victim was attacked from behind in front of several members of the public at around 7pm.
Prosecutors allege the attack was an act of terrorism.
“Officers from British Transport Police are now dealing with the incident at the scene”.
Britain’s official national threat level from worldwide terrorism was raised in August 2014 to severe, the second highest of five levels, meaning an attack is considered highly likely.
Britain’s worst Islamist militant attack was in July 2005, when 52 people were killed by suicide bombs on underground trains and a bus.
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A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street said: “There is an ongoing police investigation into the attack in London”.
