by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
LONDON (Worthy News) – British police say a 13-year-old former pupil who allegedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“Allah is Greatest”) before stabbing two boys, aged 12 and 13, at his former northwest London school has been detained at a nearby mosque.
Broadcaster GB News reported Wednesday that it could confirm “the suspect is a British national and was born in the United Kingdom.”
The boys attacked at Kingsbury High School in Brent, a borough in northwest London, remain hospitalized in serious but stable condition, officials said, amid early concerns that the stabbings could be linked to Islamist extremism.
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, responsible for policing in northwest London, said armed and local officers were dispatched within minutes of the emergency call.
POLICE RESPONSE AND SWIFT ARREST
“Officers were called following a report that a 13-year-old boy had been stabbed. Armed and local officers were on the scene within 13 minutes of the 999 call,” Williams said.
“On arrival, we were made aware that a 12-year-old boy had also been stabbed, and both boys have been taken to hospital. We understand their conditions to be serious. The thoughts of everyone at the Metropolitan Police are with them and their loved ones,” he added.
Police said the suspect fled the scene but was later arrested after urgent inquiries. Officers also recovered a weapon believed to have been used in the attack. The suspect remains in custody on suspicion of attempted murder.
Authorities confirmed the suspect is a former pupil who arrived at the school around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Investigators said he first sprayed a substance toward a pupil, who was not injured, before allegedly stabbing two boys in separate locations inside the building.
He allegedly stabbed a 13-year-old boy in a first-floor classroom before running along a hallway and down a flight of stairs, where he stabbed a 12-year-old boy on the ground floor before fleeing.
MOSQUE ARREST AND COUNTER-TERROR PROBE
Several hours later, officers were alerted by a member of the public who reported seeing the suspect at a mosque in northwest London. He was arrested there Tuesday at approximately 4:50 p.m. local time, police said.
Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan of Counter Terrorism Policing London said authorities do not believe the suspect had any specific connection to the mosque and described his presence there as possibly coincidental. She added that mosque representatives have been “incredibly supportive” of the investigation.
Although counter-terrorism officers are leading the inquiry due to the surrounding circumstances, police stressed the incident has not been formally declared a terrorist attack. Officers said they are keeping an open mind regarding the motive.
Some pupils claimed the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the assault, though police say those reports are still being verified. Investigators are also examining whether the stabbing may have stemmed from a personal grievance rather than extremist ideology.
SECURITY SHOCK IN A CHRISTIAN-HERITAGE NATION
The stabbing comes as Britain remains at a substantial terror threat level, meaning an attack is considered “likely,” according to the United Kingdom’s official security assessment.
London has endured several major Islamist terror attacks in recent years. In March 2017, five people were killed in the Westminster Bridge attack outside Parliament. In June 2017, eight people were killed and dozens injured in the London Bridge and Borough Market attack. Those incidents, along with numerous foiled plots, have kept counter-terrorism units on heightened vigilance.
Britain, historically rooted in Christian institutions and traditions, has undergone significant demographic and cultural changes in recent decades. Islam is now the second-largest religion in the country, according to census data, and debates over integration, radicalization risks, and national identity have intensified amid sustained migration levels.
Police confirmed searches at two addresses connected to the suspect, as well as at the mosque where he was arrested. Between 30 and 40 witnesses, many of them children, are being interviewed by specially trained officers.
Williams described the attack as “truly shocking” and “hugely distressing” for the local community. He said there is currently no indication anyone else was involved and urged the public not to speculate while the investigation continues.
Emergency responders arriving at the scene were confronted with what officials described as a “deeply upsetting” situation.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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