Witnesses to the school attack have claimed that the attacker shouted “Allahu akbar” – “God is most great” in Arabic.
Detectives said they could not confirm that, but some child witnesses told officers they heard the phrase being used.
Member of public led police to mosque
Counter-terror police said yesterday that the stabbing had not been declared a terrorist incident, but they were keeping an “open mind” about the possible motivation.
Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan said: “Police were called by a member of the public at approximately 4.15pm over concerns of a child that had been seen at a mosque in northwest London.
“At this point, we do not believe the suspect to have any particular connection to that mosque, and at this stage we think that it may have been coincidental that he ended up in that area, and all of those at the mosque have been incredibly supportive of this investigation.
“At this time, the incident has not been declared a terrorist incident.”
It is understood that the member of the public who called the police to report the suspect was from the mosque.
Giving details of how the attack unfolded, Flanagan said the suspect had entered the school shortly before 12.30pm.
Witnesses have said he was able to get past security by wearing the school’s uniform and pretending to be a student.
Flanagan said the attacker went to a first-floor classroom and sprayed a substance towards a pupil, who was not injured.
The liquid was not thought to have been noxious, she said.
The attacker then stabbed a 13-year-old boy in the classroom before fleeing along a hallway and down a flight of stairs.
He then stabbed a 12-year-old boy before leaving the school grounds.
‘Open mind’ over motivation
Flanagan said: “CTP [Counter Terrorism Policing] London has taken the lead for this investigation, and clearly that is because, at the outset, there was concern that the attack may have had some kind of terrorism motivation.
“Currently, we are keeping an open mind as to any motivation.”
She said police were not looking for anyone else, and the attacker appeared to have been “acting alone”.
The stabbing of the first pupil is believed to have happened in a science classroom, where terrified students were seen banging on the windows and calling for help.
The brother of one pupil who witnessed the aftermath of the attack said his sister saw blood on the windows of the classroom where the attack took place.
Alsyed Algillani, 32, a lawyer, said: “There was a lot of banging from the class next door, and when the fire alarm went off, my sister was told to go downstairs.
“When she walked past the classroom, she saw splatters of blood on the window.”
A 23-year-old woman whose siblings attend the school said her sister had been left traumatised by the incident.
“When she was leaving, she walked past the classroom and saw a puddle of blood, and children were banging on the doors and the windows, shouting ‘Help’. There was blood on the windows.”
Relatives praying for victims’ recovery
The grandfather of two boys at the school said the attacker walked into the building wearing the school’s uniform.
Janti Kalyan, 60, said: “He just put on his uniform and came to the school and attacked these two boys.”
Relatives of the injured 13-year-old gathered at the family home yesterday.
His older brother told reporters he had visited the boy in hospital earlier in the day, and the family was praying for his recovery.
Counter-terror police said they had searched three properties in connection with the attack, including the mosque.
Officers were seen searching the suspect’s address while others stood guard outside.
A large amount of CCTV footage has been recovered from the school, and police are analysing the suspect’s electronic devices.
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