Vince Fuller, 50, was arrested in Surrey on suspicion of terror offences after an alleged rampage with a baseball bat and knife.
Witnesses say a man was shouting ‘all Muslims must die’ during the incident in the village of Stanwell. Police say the episode was ‘inspired by the far-right’.
Neighbours in Viola Avenue, Stanwell, near Heathrow Airport, said they heard a man screaming ‘white supremacists rule’ before knifing a 19-year-old male in a nearby Tesco car park on Saturday night.
The victim was allowed home from hospital earlier today after undergoing an operation last night.
Vince Fuller, 50, was arrested after the incident in a Tesco car park on Saturday night
Detective Superintendent Nigel Doak, a counter terrorism officer, said the incident ‘has continued to show the hallmarks of a terrorist event.’
‘We believe the victim, a 19-year-old Southern European man, may have been targeted due to his ethnic appearance,’ he added.
The detective added further that ‘police are committed to tackling all forms of toxic extremist ideology.’
Mr Doak also confirmed that police will remain stationed in the village after security was stepped up around mosques.
‘Local officers in Surrey Police will continue to be in the Stanwell area, providing reassurance and advice to communities, places of worship and businesses,’ he said.
The suspect was originally arrested by Surrey Police on Saturday night.
He was further arrested at 7pm on Sunday by Counter Terrorism Policing South East detectives, under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He remains in police custody.
A warrant for further detention was granted on Saturday by Westminster Magistrates Court allowing police to detain him up until March 23.
Vince Fuller was arrested in Stanwell, a village in Surrey close to Heathrow Airport
The incident began just after 10.15pm on Saturday when Surrey Police were called to Viola Avenue to reports of a man ‘acting aggressively and shouting racist comments’ whilst carrying a baseball bat and a knife.
Several nearby vehicles were damaged.
A further call was received by police at 11.08pm, and it was reported that someone had been stabbed in the Tesco car park in Town Lane, Stanwell.
It is believed that the suspect for the attack was the same man who was reported as acting aggressively earlier that evening.
Armed officers were deployed and the suspect was arrested in Town Lane in the village at 11.11pm.
Fuller was arrested after a 19-year-old was stabbed in the hand in the supermarket car park
The victim, the 19-year-old man, sustained serious injuries to his hands.
Detectives believe he entered McDonalds to seek help after being attacked and was then taken to hospital by ambulance to Ashford Hospital.
He has since been transferred to St George’s Hospital in south London where he underwent surgery last night before being allowed home today.
Fuller allegedly asked the teenager ‘Do you wanna die? Well you’re gonna die!’ ahead of the horrifying attack, according to witnesses.
It comes after at least 50 people were killed in a horrific far-right attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday, by Australian-born Brenton Tarrant.
Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the Surrey attack on Sunday evening and thanked the emergency services for their ‘handling of the terrorist incident’.
A stabbing in Surrey which saw a man rampage with a baseball bat and knife while shouting ‘all Muslims must die’ is being treated by police as a terror incident ‘inspired by the far-right’ (pictured police patrolling)
Police remove a car from Viola Avenue in Stanwell, Surrey where they were investigating the stabbing
She tweeted: ‘My thanks to the emergency services for their handling of the terrorist incident in Stanwell.
‘My thoughts are with the injured man, and his family and friends. Vile, hateful far-right extremism has no place in our society.’
Mosques in the Surrey area will see a higher police presence following the attack.
A 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and racially aggravated public order (pictured, officers are seen in Viola Avenue in Stanwell)
Detective Superintendent for Surrey Police, Karen Mizzi, said: ‘Patrols (pictured) will be stepped up across Stanwell in order to provide assurances to those in the area’
An unnamed witness said: ‘The man asked the young lad if he wanted to die, and then said ‘Well you’re going to die’ and swung the knife at the young lad.
‘The young lad held his hand up and was stabbed in the hand.’
Police take items from a house after the stabbing in Surrey, with officers remaining at the scene as of yesterday
It was revealed by those who live on the street that the suspect had previously been arrested for sending threats online
A police guard was established outside a house on the street which officers were searching and a heavy presence remains
Nemer Salem, who lives nearby, said he heard a man shouting racist slurs out of a window earlier on Saturday night. The 24-year-old, who came to London six years ago from Syria, said: ‘He started saying some crazy things about Muslims and just shut the window. I’m a Muslim and I got a little bit worried.’
Vincent Sutherland, 54, said: ‘He was shouting, ‘kill a Muslim’ and ‘white supremacy’ and then I went inside and I heard a load of banging.’
A police guard was established outside a house on the street which officers were searching and a heavy presence remained as of Sunday.
Surrey Police (pictured at the scene on Sunday) were called to reports on Saturday just before 10.30pm of a man acting aggressively and shouting racist comments whilst carrying a baseball bat and a knife
Several nearby vehicles were also damaged. A further call was received by Surrey Police at 10.30pm reporting that a man had been stabbed (pictured, police in Viola Avenue in Stanwell, as they investigate the Saturday night stabbing)
Assistant commissioner, Neil Basu, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said on Sunday: ‘Whilst this investigation is still in its infancy, it has hallmarks of a terror event, inspired by the far-right, and therefore it has been declared a terrorism incident.’
‘This allows us to use all of the specialist capabilities available to establish the full circumstances of this attack.’
He added: ‘The investigation is being led by an investigation team based in the Counter Terrorism Policing, South East region, who are working closely with our colleagues in Surrey Police in order to build a better picture of what has occurred.’
Abhishek Agrawal, 40, and his wife Tanu, 36, who run catering company Indian Homemade based in the street, said they were shocked and scared by news of the attack.
Mr Agrawal said: ‘Last night (Saturday) I saw a helicopter so we knew something was happening. We could hear it flying above the area for a long time.
‘We didn’t know what happened until today. We have lived here for nearly a decade and have never heard of anything like this happening.
Officers remove evidence from a house in Viola Avenue in Stanwell after police said that they are treating a stabbing incident last night as a terrorism incident
Counter terrorism officers and Surrey Police are still investigating the ‘shocking’ incident
‘It’s very scary to hear this has happened, I work in central London and often come back late on the last bus.’
Mrs Agrawal said: ‘It’s very scary and sad. It’s a very quiet area. We have never heard of anything like this.’
Police, including armed officers and a helicopter, found the suspect after a search and arrested him.
He is currently in police custody and officers confirmed they are not looking for any other persons in connection with this incident.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid reacted to the incident in a statement, and said: ‘We must stand together as a society and reject the terrorists and extremists who seek to divide us.
It is believed that the suspect is the same man who was reported as acting aggressively, Counter Terrorism Policing South East said in a statement
Mosques in the area will see a higher police presence following the attack in Stanwell (file photo of Viola Avenue)
‘Now’s the moment for us all to challenge the hatred, ignorance and violence they peddle and stand up for the kind of country we are and want to be.’
He added: ‘To any communities who are feeling vulnerable and under threat I say we are with you. You benefit our country, you are part of our country, part of us.’
Detective Superintendent for Surrey Police, Karen Mizzi, said: ‘I want to reassure residents that we are doing all we can to ensure a thorough investigation takes place and we are supporting those affected by last night’s events.
‘Patrols will be stepped up across Stanwell in order to provide assurances to those in the area specifically around mosques and increasing engagement with communities of all faiths, giving advice on how people and places can protect themselves.
‘We stand together with all communities in Surrey and we will take action against any criminal behaviour which seeks to undermine society, especially where crimes are motivated by hate. There can never be any excuse for this type of incident in any shape or form and this criminality will not be tolerated.’
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