Alkaline attack: New last sighting, CCTV and £20k for information leading to arrest of Abdul Ezedi
Police have released new CCTV and have offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspected chemical attacker, ITV News' Matha Fairlie reports
A reward of up to £20,000 is on offer for information leading to the arrest of suspected chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi, police say.
The Metropolitan Police, who are leading the manhunt, believe there are people who know where he is who have not come forward. They warned anyone found assisting him faces arrest.
He has been on the run since Wednesday after a 31-year-old mother, believed to be known to Ezedi, was attacked alongside her two daughters, with a corrosive alkaline substance in Clapham, south London.
She remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital, with her injuries thought to be “life-changing”.
The injuries to her daughters, aged three and eight, are “not likely to be life-changing”.
New information has come to light on Sunday, saying Ezedi's final confirmed sighting was at 9.30pm on Wednesday when he exited Tower Hill Underground station.
It was previously believed to be Victoria train station at 9pm.
He changed trains at Victoria, where he arrived on the Victoria Line at 9.10pm and departed on the eastbound District Line at 9.16pm
A timeline of Abdul Ezedi's movements
Early Wednesday: The wanted man left Newcastle in the “very, very early hours” of Wednesday and travelled south to the capital.
6.30am: Edezi arrived in the Tooting area by around 6.30am.
4.30pm: A sighting of his vehicle was reported at about 4.30pm in Croydon.
7pm: By about this time he was in Streatham.
7.25pm: The attack took place before he allegedly attempted to drive away from the scene, crashing into a stationary vehicle and fleeing on foot.
7.30pm: Minutes after the attack Ezedi boarded a tube at Clapham South underground station.
8pm: He was at King’s Cross tube station.
8.42pm: Ezedi was filmed on CCTV in Tesco on Caledonian Road, with a “fairly significant facial injury” buying a bottle of water, before leaving and heading right.
9pm: He got on a Victoria line tube at 9pm heading south
9.10pm: Arrives at Victoria Station on the Victoria line
9.16pm: Leaves Victoria eastbound on the District Line
9.30pm: He exited Tower Hill Underground station.
Abdul Ezedi seen filmed on CCTV in Tesco on Caledonian Road, buying a bottle of water
As part of the renewed appeal, CCTV footage showing Ezedi at a Tesco store in Caledonian Road on 31 January has been released.
Officers say they have received “dozens of calls” about the four day hunt for a suspected alkali attacker, including possible sightings of Ezedi.
On Saturday night, police released video of a raid at a property in Newcastle, where Ezedi is from, including footage of empty containers with corrosive warnings, were released last night.
Police searching for Abdul Ezedi have released footage of a raid at an address in Newcastle
Today police confirmed the liquid used in the attack was a "very strong concentrated corrosive substance, either liquid sodium hydroxide or liquid sodium carbonate".
Commander Savell added: “Further enquiries are ongoing including comparison with the containers seized from Ezedi’s address in Newcastle.”
The Metropolitan Police is co-ordinating the manhunt, which has included raids at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle.
The force is with the Home Office, UK Border Force, UK Visas and Immigration, the National Crime Agency, British Transport Police and several other police forces.
In an appeal directly to Abdul Ezedi, Darius Nasimi, of the charity the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association said: “Abdul, I am speaking directly to you.
“I want you to go straight to a police station immediately.
“You have a serious injury that needs to be seen to but, more importantly, you must do the right thing and hand yourself in to police.
“This has gone on for long enough.
“You can contact the charity if you wish and we can speak to you, and work together so that you can help the police with their enquiries.
“Abdul, please contact us as soon as you can, call 999, or go to a police station.”
Anyone with information about Abdul Ezedi is asked to call 020 7175 2784 or for an immediate sighting dial 999. To remain anonymous, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers.
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