HUNTINGDON
British police confirmed on Sunday that the knife attack on a London-bound train that left 11 passengers injured was not being treated as a terrorist incident. Two British nationals in their 30s have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the mass stabbing, which occurred on a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service near Huntingdon, around 130 km north of London.
British Transport Police Superintendent John Loveless said both suspects — a 32-year-old black British man and a 35-year-old of Caribbean descent — were born in the UK. “At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that this is a terrorist incident,” Loveless told reporters, declining to comment on the motive. The suspects were detained by armed officers after the train made an emergency stop.
Of the 11 hospitalised victims, four have been discharged, while two remain in critical condition. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident “appalling and deeply concerning,” and King Charles III said he was “truly appalled and shocked.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urged the public to refrain from speculation, warning against misinformation on social media — a concern heightened since the 2024 Southport riots that followed false online claims.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and bloodshed, with one passenger telling the BBC that “there was blood on all the chairs.” Another witness told Sky News the suspect was wielding a large knife before being tasered by police.
Britain’s terrorism threat level remains “substantial”, meaning an attack is considered likely.
