The suspect is still wanted after the chemical attack in London

Abdul Ezedi, a 35-year-old man living in the Newcastle area (north-east of England), is suspected of spraying an “alkaline” substance on a 31-year-old woman and her two daughters, aged eight and three. » (like soda or bleach) in the middle of the street Wednesday evening around 7:30 pm

Hours after the attack in Clapham, south of the British capital, CCTV footage from a supermarket in the north of the city showed the suspect suffering serious injuries to the right side of his face. production

serious injuries

During a press briefing in front of Scotland Yard, Commander John Sewell told the fugitive: “We’ve seen the images, you need medical attention, so do the right thing and turn yourself in”, emphasizing the serious injuries he suffered.

The police officer suggested that the mother suffered lifelong injuries and that of the two children was ultimately not as serious as initially thought.

As part of the investigation, five search warrants were executed in London and Newcastle and resulted in “substantial evidence” being gathered, the commander added.

already guilty

Abdul Ezedi, who is believed to have arrived from Afghanistan in 2016, was previously convicted of a sex offense in 2018 and given a suspended sentence by Newcastle Crown Court, according to British media.

According to the same source, after a priest told British officials that Ezedi had converted to Christianity, he was granted asylum in the United Kingdom after two failed attempts.

Some Conservative MPs urged the government to tighten reception conditions on British soil and to “thoroughly investigate” the suspect’s file.

Police Chief Mark Rowley, who insisted on Thursday that he would “hunt down” the assailant, has ruled out a terror attack at this stage, explaining that the man and woman knew each other.