The suspects posed for photos after the attack, mentioned avenging Muslim deaths

May 23, 2013 09:15 GMT  ·  By
The suspects in the London beheading were avenging Muslim killings in Afghanistan
   The suspects in the London beheading were avenging Muslim killings in Afghanistan

A man was killed in London in a horrific knife and a meat cleaver execution, which witnesses have described as a beheading.

According to NY Daily News, two male suspects butchered a 20-year-old man, while mentioning their intent to avenge Muslim killings in Afghanistan.

The victim has been identified as a soldier who was walking in Woolwich when he was run over by the men driving a Vauxhall Tigra.

The car slammed into a pole at around 2:20 p.m., after which the men ran out and started hacking away at the soldier.

“We want to start a war in London tonight!” one of the attackers boasted.

They were standing around the scene waiting for police to arrive and posing for shots after the murder.

The act has been described as an act of terror. A photo of one of them has been attached to this news article.

“They were oblivious to anything, they were more worried about having their photo taken, running up and down the road. [...] They had no intention of running off or leaving or anything,” a witness introducing himself as James described to radio station LBC.

They were shouting “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is Great” in Arabic, witnesses describe. A 48-year-old Cub Scout leader asked one of the suspects about his intentions. He had a bloodied butchering knife in his hand at the time.

“I asked him if he did it, and he said ‘yes,’ and I said, ‘Why?’ ” Ingrid Loyau-Kennett describes.

“I am fed up with people killing Muslims in Afghanistan,” the man responded.

When police arrived at the scene, they were attacked with a machete, prompting a defense by officers. A witness tweeted about one agent critically injuring a suspect.

Both suspects were hospitalized with serious injuries, Daily Mail reports. Brawl ensued in mosques in Kent and Braintree, culminating in two more arrests.