2 British nationals in custody over train mass stabbings in UK, police rule out terrorism

London, Nov 2 (PTI) Two people remain in life-threatening condition on Sunday after mass stabbings which injured 10 people on a high-speed London-bound train, as British Transport Police ruled out a terrorism link to the “major incident” as counter-terror police engagement was discontinued.

Two UK-born men in their 30s remain in custody after being arrested at the scene of the attack on Saturday night, when armed police stormed the train at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire, eastern England.

The train, which had been travelling from Doncaster and was headed to King's Cross station in the UK capital, made the unscheduled stop at Huntingdon after what has been described by eyewitnesses as a bloody rampage on the train minutes after it left nearby Peterborough station.

“We declared a major incident yesterday (Saturday) and Counter Terrorism Policing were initially supporting our investigation, however, at this stage there is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident,” British Transport Police (BTP) Superintendent John Loveless said.

“This is a British Transport Police investigation. We continue to work to establish the full circumstances and motivation for this incident. At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident,” Loveless told reporters outside Huntingdon railway station, which was cordoned off as a crime scene.

“A 32-year-old man, a black British national, and a 35-year-old man, a British national of Caribbean descent, were both arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Both were born in the UK. They remain in police custody for questioning,” he stated.

Giving further details of the “shocking incident”, the police official said the force responded to emergency calls at around 7.42 pm local time on Saturday to reports of a multiple stabbing.

Armed police from Cambridgeshire Police boarded the train at Huntingdon, a small market town in the region, and arrested two people within eight minutes of the first 999 emergency call.

“Ten people were taken to hospital by ambulance and another person self-presented at hospital later that evening. While nine were initially believed to have life-threatening injuries, following assessment and treatment, four have been discharged and two patients remain in a life-threatening condition,” added Loveless.

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood praised the BTP, Cambridgeshire Police, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and the East of England Ambulance Service for their rapid response and “utmost professionalism” that saved lives.

“We now know this attack is not being treated as terrorism, and that two British-born, British nationals have been arrested. The investigation is ongoing, and I am receiving regular updates from the police,” she reiterated.

Buckingham Palace issued a statement from King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who said they were “truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack that took place on board a train in Cambridgeshire last night.” Prime Minister Keir Starmer had taken to social media overnight to condemn the “appalling incident” and urged people to follow police advice.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), the operator of the high-speed train, has said that disruption to their services is expected at least until the end of Sunday following the on-board attack.

While the train’s next scheduled stop was some distance away at Stevenage in Hertfordshire, passengers pulled the emergency cord to force a stop at Huntingdon, where armed police boarded to take charge.

Many eyewitnesses recall the horror of blood everywhere, even as some wondered if it may be a spooky prank over the Halloween weekend.

Other witnesses spoke of seeing a man with a large knife and passengers rushing about and trying to hide in the toilets. PTI AK SCY RD NPK NPK