HUNT CONTINUES
Abdul Ezedi cops probe theory ‘Clapham chemical attacker is DEAD’ as they share last sighting & timeline of movement
Ezedi's distraught brother Hassan has urged the chemical attack suspect to give himself up
COPS hunting for Abdul Ezedi have not ruled out the theory that the chemical attack suspect died falling into the River Thames.
The latest confirmed sighting of Ezedi is now on Southwark Bridge at 9.50pm on Wednesday, detectives said.
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Grainy CCTV footage shows him walking close to the Thames around two hours after allegedly attacking a 31-year-old woman and her two children, aged three and eight, with an alkaline substance.
The last use of a bank card by Ezedi, 35, was when he exited Tower Bridge station at 9.33pm on Wednesday after travelling on the Tube, before he crossed the river.
But despite scouring hundreds of hours of CCTV and launching a massive manhunt, cops have still not managed to find Ezedi.
Now, detectives are probing theories that he is either being harboured from capture or is dead.
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Commander Jon Savell said of the search to find Ezedi: “We’ve got a number of hypotheses to talk in police terms about what might have happened.
“Him having come to some harm is obviously one of them.
"I think that it’s realistic to understand that the fact that no one has seen him recently and he’s not been spotted by anybody would mean that he has either come to harm and is lying somewhere and yet to be found, or someone’s looking after him, as he’s not been outside for some time.
"I think they are the obvious two hypotheses.”
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Evedi allegedly attacked a mum and her two kids with a corrosive liquid on Wednesday.
He also allegedly tried to run a woman over before twice slamming her three-year-old daughter on the ground "like a rag doll";.
Chilling video shows Clapham 'attacker' strolling Tesco as cops offer huge reward
Ezedi is believed to have tracked his victim down to the two-star Clapham South Belvedere Hotel, where the council had put her up with her daughters, aged three and eight.
A 31-year-old woman is now at risk to lose her sight in her right eye after the horrifying attack.
Her daughters, aged eight and three, were also hurt but have since been discharged from hospital.
Cops also released new details about Ezedi's movements in a statement announcing a £20,000 reward for information.
But the manhunt could take weeks with Ezedi still evading capture.
Det Supt Rick Sewart, leading the manhunt, said it could take some time to find the suspect if he is hiding: “If we are in a situation whereby he is being held in one specific address it clearly could take several weeks, if he’s being fed and watered by somebody and wants to lay low.”
One hundred specialist officers are part of the manhunt, which is staffed like a major murder hunt or counter-terrorism operation.
Manhunt cops have also urged people not to approach “dangerous” fugitive Ezedi.
In a previous statement Commander Savell added: "I must warn anyone who is helping Ezedi to evade capture - if you are harbouring or assisting him then you will be arrested."
It comes after Ezedi's distraught brother Hassan urged the chemical attack suspect to give himself up.
Members of the public and cops were also burned as they rushed to the family’s aid.
The Met Police said lab tests have identified the liquid as either caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) or washing soda (sodium carbonate).
Both caustic soda - also known as lye - and washing soda are typically used to clear blocked drains.
Cops have since arrested and bailed a 22-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender.
A 22-year-old man who has stayed in the Belvedere Hotel for three months said he saw the woman flee into the reception and scream for help after the chilling attack.
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Earlier this week it revealed that Ezedi arrived in the UK in a lorry and failed to claim asylum.
However, he then converted to Christianity and was accepted on his third attempt with a priest as a character witness.
Everything we know about Ezedi
What were Ezedi's last known movements?
Manhunt cops say Ezedi's car was seen in Newcastle at quarter past midnight on Wednesday.
By 6.30am the car was seen travelling into Tooting, south west London.
A further sighting of his car was confirmed in Croydon at 4.30pm and Ezedi was seen driving in Streatham at 7pm.
The attack on a 31-year-old woman, and her daughters, aged three and eight, took place in Lessar Avenue in Clapham at 7.25pm that night.
The mum is believed to be known to Ezedi, cops said.
Ezedi made off in his car but it crashed nearby. He then left the vehicle and ran off.
At 7.33pm Ezedi boarded a Northern line train at Clapham South Tube station.
Ezedi got off at King's Cross just before 8pm.
He was seen on CCTV leaving a Tesco Express at 21 Caledonian Road, near King's Cross, and turning right.
The suspect had significant facial injuries and is believed to have bought a bottle of water.
Ezedi re-entered King's Cross Tube station at 9pm and boarded a southbound Victoria line train.
The latest confirmed sighting of Ezedi is now on Southwark Bridge at 9.47pm on Wednesday.
The suspect has not been seen since.
Does Ezedi have a criminal record?
Ezedi was convicted of a sexual offence in 2018 and given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court.
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed he was sentenced on January 9 of that year after pleading guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure.
He was put on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
Why was Ezedi given asylum in the UK?
Ezedi was granted asylum in 2020 on his third attempt - after he was convicted of the sex offence.
He reportedly arrived in the UK on the back of a lorry in 2016 and claimed to have converted to Christianity to back up his asylum bid.
A priest told the Telegraph that Ezedi had converted to Christianity and was "wholly committed" to his new religion.
What happened to Ezedi's face?
CCTV from Wednesday night shows Ezedi with what police have described as very "significant injuries to the right side of his face".
Met Police Commander Jon Savell addressed him directly, saying: "Abdul, you clearly have got some very significant injuries.
"We've seen the images. You need some medical help, so do the right thing and hand yourself in."
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