Olatunji “TJ” Johnson Adeyanju, 17, who died after being struck by a car when crossing Deptford Church Street.

A motorist who caused the death of  a teenage cyclist by dangerous driving and twice drove away from the scene of the accident has been jailed for four years, but the victim’s family say the sentence is not enough and are calling for more designated cycle lanes.

Barry Normah, 28, of Watergate Street, Deptford SE8, was found guilty at the Old Bailey on March 18, 2013.

Barry Normah was sentenced to four years. Pic: Met Police

After the sentencing today at Woolwich Crown Court, the victim’s family called for the creation of designated cycle lanes.

On March 23, 2012, Normah struck 17-year old Olatunji “TJ” Johnson Adeyanju with his silver Audi A3 when the young man was cycling through a designated pedestrian crossing on Deptford Church Street.

Police responded to reports of the accident at around 5 pm that afternoon and Adeyanju was taken to Kings College Hospital, where he died later that evening.

The court heard that Normah drove away from the scene of the crash before turning round at a traffic light and coming back. He stopped on the opposite carriageway from where Adeyanju was lying before driving away once more.

Later, the car was found abandoned in Watergate Street SE8. Normah was arrested a day after the incident and charged later on in the year.

Detective Sergeant Mick Woollard, of the Road Death Investigation Unit, said: “It is a tragedy when such a young life is lost in these circumstances and my thoughts are with TJ’s family. TJ was crossing the road at a designated crossing point — this should have been a safe place.

“Barry Normah had two opportunities to stop at the scene and try and help TJ, but he chose to drive away and leave him in the road dying,” said the Detective Sergeant.

The victim’s uncle and guardian, Steven Gisanrin, said his family was disappointed by the length of Normah’s sentence. He also said that if any good could come from his nephew’s death then more has to be done to promote safer cycling in London:

The pedestrian crossing between Deptford Church Street and Bronze Street where the collision occurred. Pic: Google

“Residents in Deptford have often complained about how unsafe they feel whilst cycling in the area,” Gisanrin said, “and are again calling for more designated cycle lanes to be installed, particularly on and around Creek Road.”

Normah has also been disqualified from driving for five years with an extended re-test to be taken before driving again.

Engage is TimeBank’s new youth project in Tower Hamlets. Pic: TimeBank

The national volunteering charity TimeBank have set up a new youth project in Tower Hamlets called Engage — a ten-week programme providing support for young people aged 16–18, who are not in education, training or employment.

Aklima Begum, the project’s co-ordinator, said Engage is a necessary programme for the borough’s young people:

“Tower Hamlets has a very high youth population — actually one of the largest in Europe — and it also has quite high unemployment rates among this group. Therefore, it is very important that we engage these young people, motivate them and skill them to create better chances to get jobs.”

Engage is training ten young people living in Tower Hamlets about project development — teaching them everything from budgets to marketing strategies. They are then encouraged to use these skills to set up their own projects in the borough.

During the ten week programme participants will be matched with volunteer mentors. The mentors work in a wide range of sectors and offer their mentees training and educational help and support.

One of the young people participating in Engage is Kawsar Hoque. He heard about the project on a job fair in East London and joined because he wants to improve his work prospects.

Hoque’s project aims to make sure that young people from 9–11 years-old are encouraged to keep healthy and active. He is organising a football tournament where different schools are competing for a visit to Wembley Stadium.

“I have never done project management before and I thought it was going to be very challenging,” Hoque said. “I didn’t have too much confidence.”

“I am half-way through the project now. It has boosted my confidence and now I think it is realistic that I can deliver my project,” he added.

When the project ends the mentors will continue to work individually with their mentees for up to six months.

Lewisham Council offers a trainee scheme for market stall owners. Pic: B-Involved.org.uk

As part of Love your local market week fifteen new street food traders, who are all graduates from the Council’s trainee market trader scheme, will be setting up in Douglas Way Square to sell an eclectic range of street food.

The trainee market trader scheme is one of a number of projects the Council is undertaking to regenerate Catford and Deptford town centres and ensure their markets’ long-term future.

Funding for the scheme comes from Lewisham Council and the Mayor of London’s Outer London Fund. As part of the project the trainees receive:

• A free place on training sessions delivered by qualified business support experts on topics such as branding and marketing, trading standards, health and safety
• A grant towards the start-up costs of their business and market stall
• Free pitches at one or more of the borough’s markets

Nigel Adams, the Regeneration Communications Manager for Lewisham Council, said the fund was an opportunity to help people in Lewisham set-up businesses for themselves.

“We wanted to provide training to get people from the stage where they’ve had a great business idea or they’re making fantastic things at home to actually begin trading,” Adams said.

“This is great for the economy of Lewisham, the people of Lewisham and the market itself,” he added.

Adams also highlighted the importance of bringing new trade to the market: “The scheme will bring a different dimension. It will bring back people who perhaps haven’t visited for a while and hopefully a new crowd in as well. Deptford has a fantastic multicultural cuisine heritage so we’re trying to bring that to the forefront again so people know that it’s here.”

Claire Pritchard, Renewal Manager for Deptford High Street, believes street markets are an essential part of Deptford.

“It helps preserve the high street and there’s loads of community engagement through the markets,” Pritchard said.

“It’s a really accessible affordable way to start a business and in history it’s been the source of economic regeneration of Deptford and I think it can be again.”

The trainee traders’ market is part of The Deptford Food Court.

Pritchard noted that the creation of the Food Court was a direct response to community needs: “This is something a lot of people were asking about. There’s a lot of opinion in Deptford, which is fantastic. Deptford is a place with a lot of passion, a lot of engagement and a lot of voices, but absolutely consistent across all of that was a Food Court.”

Pritchard is one of the trainers on the scheme and said it is fundamental to the market’s regeneration.

Thanh Oung is also a graduate from the trainee scheme and is one half of Two Hungry Bees, selling Vietnamese home cooking inspired by his heritage and that of his mother’s.

Oung said the trainee scheme gave Two Hungry Bees the confidence to start trading.

“We were always really fearful about the paper work and business side,” Oung said. “The scheme really nailed it for us, they cover everything — marketing, social media — we have so much knowledge now.”

Oung said another important factor about the scheme is the support of the other 14 graduates, because they are all working together.

Also trading a family recipe is Deptford-born Natasha Lawes, whose free range jerk chicken wraps are inspired by her connections to the area:

“I grew  up in Lewisham and my Grandma used to take me Deptford to shop, so this is my home. I used to watch her in the kitchen, and I thought her food was just the best. Lucky I did watch otherwise her recipes would have been lost forever!”

For Lawes, the stall was a life long ambition.

“I’ve had this idea for so long and I’ve done a few business courses,” she said, “but I never really felt able to go out there and really go for it.”

Lawes also said that the scheme has given her confidence and she is looking forward to the future.

The trainee scheme graduates will be trading on May 25, June 1 and June 8 at Douglas Way Market, SE8 from 9am–3pm.

For booking information, contact Nigel Adams via email at nigel.adams@lewisham.gov.uk or on 02083 147 613.

Listen to the Love Your Local Market SoundCloud set for more interviews from this story.

Professor Les Back who blogs at The Conversation

The deafening frequency of the sirens on Wednesday night was reminiscent of London after the 7th July bombings as the police cars and vans hurtled down the New Cross Road towards Woolwich.

It is the soundtrack of the “war on terror” and lasted deep into the night.

Against this piercing sonic backdrop the streets remained unnervingly quiet and without people.

Most residents stayed inside watching the news of violence in familiar places unfold on screens via Twitter, Facebook and often last of all the TV news. It was as if South East London was holding its breath.

For good reason, the bloody pornography of Thursday’s newspaper headlines about the murder did not challenge the violence, rather the news coverage was deeply complicit with its cultural politics.

The colour enhanced photographs of the killer’s bloodied hands were the instruments of the chilling and gruesome spectacle.

The Sun went as far as insisting on having its red top brand logo inserted with the still images taken of the mobile phone footage that appeared on the TV news.

The media coverage of the murder did not lessen the nature of the offense, rather it has circulated and profited from it.

Londoners of all shades and backgrounds were confronted by the gratuitous violent images as they stood next to each other on the train platform or in the Underground.

“See the way the media used ‘Caribbean’ and ‘Nigerian’ to describe them,” a young black Londoner said to his friend: “You know what’s coming next don’t you?”

Blurring the categories will create a wider range of targets for the backlash. “It’ll be the Muslims first though. The EDL have already attacked Mosques in Woolwich and Essex,” he concluded.

The violence and the reactions to it will damage the social choreography of London’s multiculture but not fatally.

I am sure plenty of commentators will line up to rehearse another chorus of the familiar pronouncements about the “death of multiculturalism.”

We’ve seen this all before but the reality of life in the city is paradoxical.

For London is both the stage for divisions and violence and also a meeting place where those differences are routinely bridged and made banal.

“I was just thinking today, there was a woman fully veiled walking through the market buying her shopping.  It was just ordinary I didn’t even notice her,” said a white neighbour. This captures something about the reality of an everyday, unspectacular co-existence.

The public political response has been little more than a war of clichés and well-rehearsed condolences.

David Cameron spoke of the endurance of the “indomitable British spirit,” and “the belief in freedom, in democracy, in free speech, in our British values, Western values.”

I do not minimise the violence or condone the butchery in Woolwich. This has happened in a moment where British life is increasingly militarised.

The military has had a more prominent presence in everyday life in British society from X Factor, to their presence at sporting occasions, to the perennial collections for Help for Heroes.

These become local traces of the wars that are being fought afar in Afghanistan and Iraq and now targeted as a result.

Politicians will deny that there is any connection between war and the murder.

Equally, connections between the reactions to these tragic events and a re-invigorated racism will be steadfastly rejected.

In both cases what we are seeing is not just “lone-wolf” Jihadism, but also this tragedy is a manifestation of the social damage of war erupting in the very ordinary spaces of British life.

The blood-stained headlines will not be easily forgotten but they will inevitably become yesterday’s news. The rhythm of multicultural life in South East London will re-establish itself and find its balance again.

Les Back

Twitter @academicdiary

Volunteers take a break from working at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.
Pic: The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Tower Hamlets may not be known for its greenery, but people from across London are coming to the Borough to volunteer at the city’s most urban woodland.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park lies just off the busy Mile End Road and offers more than 30 acres of trees, flowers and butterflies. It was constructed in 1841 becoming the last of  the cemeteries now known as the “Magnificent Seven”.

These cemeteries were established in the then outskirts of London to bring down the number of bodies buried in the city’s centre.

The other six are Abney Park Cemetery, Brompton Cemetery, Highgate Cemetery, Kensal Green Cemetery, Nunhead Cemetery and West Norwood Cemetery.

The site has not been an active cemetery for more than 40 years, but it is now classified as a nature reserve and as a Site of  Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, which puts it under statutory protection.

Since the 1990s the park has been managed by the charity Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery.

The charity also organises events and volunteering days. These sessions see about 3,000 volunteers coming to the park to offer their time and help.

John Clarkson, the Cemetery Park Officer, said that the two full-time staff members would struggle without the help of volunteers: “There is very little work we would be able to get done. We’d be able to do the basic maintenance, maybe the odd special project, but [the volunteers] have enabled us to develop the nature reserve and make it the special place that it is now.”

The volunteers come for various reasons.  Some are local residents interested in helping out in the park and spending time outside. Others are offenders who come to fulfill some of their community service time on the grounds.

While more are corporate volunteers who come to volunteer as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.

The park’s proximity to Canary Wharf and the City of London makes it attractive to people in the financial sector, and the charity sometimes sees volunteer groups with up to 100 people in a single day.

Diego Coentrao is a drop-in volunteer who works for a local cleaning company. He said his employer wants to be environmentally friendly and is encouraging staff to volunteer.

“I think [companies] really need to look into this kind place [for volunteering], because it’s for the community,” Coentrao said.

Liaison Officer Kenneth Greenway said volunteers have different reasons for coming.

Some come to get to know the local community better; some to learn new skills; others simply because it looks good on their CV.

The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park has a drop-in volunteer day every Tuesday from 10am–4pm, and they also organise various events such as this year’s Spring Festival on June 8.

For more information on how to get involved, visit the website.

Local people in Woolwich leaving flowers to remember Drummer Lee Rigby. Pic: Woolwich Community Facebook

The second suspect arrested for the murder of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich on Wednesday is being named by multiple news outlets as Michael Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich, south-east London.

The focus of the huge anti-terrorist police investigation has included raids and extensive searches of flats in old Greenwich SE10, close to the University of Greenwich and the border with the Borough of Lewisham.

The Metropolitan Police announced Friday afternoon May 24 that two women, aged 29 and 31, arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder had been released without charge. A man, 29, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder yesterday remains in custody.

The Met Police are not confirming or announcing the names of two men, aged 22 and 28, arrested on suspicion of murder who remain in hospital in a stable condition.

Searches were ongoing at six residential addresses; three in south London, one in east London, one in north London and one in Lincolnshire.

Aylmer House, Eastney Street, Greenwich. Scene of police search in the inquiry. Pic: Google

Members of the “Woolwich Community” Facebook page have posted a message saying “We would now like to get back to our day to day routines and recover from the tragic incident that has happened.”

The social media site was the source of immediate eye witness reaction to events on Wednesday and reported that the other suspect with a very similar name, Michael Adebolajo 28,  was “known in the area for standing in the high street during busy hours with a table handing out islamification leaflets and preaching hate for the government. He is also known for speaking out on buses in the area.”

The wider connections of the two men shot and wounded by armed police are being pursued by one of the largest inquiries carried out by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command in its history.

Flat in Macey House old Greenwich, another location searched by detectives and associated with suspects. Pic: Google

They are pursuing leads and carrying out interviews throughout the East London Lines boroughs of Lewisham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney. All aspects of the suspects’ education, family life, travel, social and political networks and work history are under intense investigation.

The Lewisham Islamic Centre has released a statement saying they were shocked by what had happened in Woolwich and said: “It is further disturbing to hear that these individuals were Muslims. From our perspective, we would like to clarify and confirm categorically, that these actions are in no way, shape or form from the teachings of Islam.”

Lewisham Islamic Centre issued statement appealing for calm.

The Centre warned that “It is inevitable at times like these that various groups will seek to drive a wedge between communities. We believe our community in the London Borough of  Lewisham (“LBL”) is an excellent one that has an outstanding record with respect to community cohesion within and beyond LBL. We sincerely hope that the heinous crime that has taken place will not lead to long term discord within the borough or beyond.”

On the day of the attack a joint statement from representatives of nine of London’s religious groups was released to the media by London’s Faiths Forum: “We, as representatives of many of London’s faith communities, deplore the terrible attack that has taken place today in Woolwich. All of our religions exalt the sanctity of human life and no grievance could justify such a barbaric assault that has cost a young man his life. Terrorism has no place on our streets.

We pray for the victim of this attack and his family, and call for Londoners to stand together at this time. We will redouble our efforts to work for peace, love, understanding and hope.”

The impact of Wednesday’s events and the aftermath is generating a wider debate about the role of social and mainstream media and the reaction of the political rhetoric.

Professor Les Back, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London says it was “as if south-east London was holding its breath.”

He observed:  “newspaper headlines about the murder did not challenge the violence, rather the news coverage is deeply complicit with its politics.”

In a blog published yesterday he wrote: “The violence and the reactions to it will damage London’s multicultural society, but not fatally.”

Metropolitan Police “Working together for a safer London” Pic: Met Police

The Metropolitan Police are very pleased to announce, Thursday May 23, that Justeena Everest, 14, missing from home since May 8, 2013 has “returned safe and well.”

The missing persons alert was covered by local and national media organisations and the police “thank the media for their assistance.”

Will there be a Sainsbury’s at Wilmer Place Pic: ELL and Google Earth

A new planning application for a Sainsbury’s at Wilmer Place, Stoke Newington has been submitted to Hackney council, a month after the previous refusal.

A spokesperson for Newmark Properties said: “After carefully considering the reasons for refusal we have submitted a revised application to Hackney Council which aims to fully address the issues raised.”

The three main issues with the old application were the impact on the local character of the Stoke Newington Conservation area, the possible harm caused to the natural habitat within Abney Park Cemetery and the imbalance of affordable family housing units within the development.

The new application proposes to set the development several meters further away from the Abney Park Cemetery.

The design of the building has also been amended “to make it calmer”.

More family units have also been introduced.

According to Nick Perry, the Chair of the Hackney Society and campaigner for Stokey Local: “the developers do not stand a better chance now.”

The previous application has fired a controversial debate within the local community. Perry referred to the proposed development as “the monster that we do not need.”

Stokey Local will be launching the new campaign once the planning documents are submitted in full on the Newmark Properties website.

The new Stokey Local campaign will target the updated points from the new planning application.

The developer says: “Newmark Properties remains passionate about the project and the regeneration benefits it will bring to Hackney residents and to the Stoke Newington area.”

The council application is now open to public comments, which can be submitted until the June 17, 2013.

Digital Shoreditch Festival predicts what the future holds for East London Pic: Natalia Talkowska

A new website/app from Transport for London and a free pop-up university are just two of the many glimpses into the not-so-distant future that are currently on display at Digital Shoreditch.

From Monday May 20, thousands of techies, entrepreneurs and investors are gathering in Shoreditch Town Hall for the third annual Shoreditch Digital Festival.

The festival is the culmination of an all-year round celebration of the technical and creative talent of East London, specifically the Tech City area between the Olympic Park in Stratford and Old Street in Shoreditch.

The offices of several technology giants like Facebook and Google, alongside more than 500 small and medium enterprises, are currently located in Tech City.

One of the presentations that was surrounded by a lot of buzz on the opening day was that of the City Unrulyversity -  a free pop-up university in the heart of Tech City.

It is a collaboration between City University and Unruly, a video technology company, aimed at combining “Academic rigour and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge with practical relevance from the world of business.”

The idea for #cityunruly is to do something different through a partnership between cass business school and unruly twitter.com/CityUnruly/sta…

— City Unrulyversity (@CityUnruly) May 20, 2013

Transport for London was also at Digital Shoreditch to launch an exclusive sneak peak of their new website and accompanying app, which were very well received.

Many participants as well as speakers at Digital Shoreditch expressed their enthusiasm for the new app on Twitter. Alex Shebar, Yelp London Community Manager and speaker at the festival wrote:

The new @tflofficial app looks fantastic, and the video that goes along with it is pretty damn adorable. #ds13 twitter.com/yelplondon/sta…

— Alex S (Yelp!) (@yelplondon) May 20, 2013

Besides celebrating the many technology-based start-ups, the festival can also be seen as a tribute to the development of East London in general.

In April this year, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson pledged to boost tech investment through a £22m start-up fund focused on financing tech startups as well as helping other creative industries beyond technology.

Gordon Innes, CEO of London & Partners, the official promotional organisation for London, said “The amazing growth that has taken place in east London over the last few years has been significant to the city’s economy and reputation. Without a doubt London’s success is being driven by centres of excellence such as Tech City, and forms a key part of London’s business future.”

Kam Star, who founded Digital Shoreditch, told Tech City News that the growth of tech initiatives in Hackney has actually been a challenge for the festival in terms of staying relevant when there are so many other offers in the area.

“We need to keep finding interesting ways to engage the community, that’s the real challenge. How do we stay relevant? The only way we can do this is through our crowd. (…) Digital Shoreditch is a community thing. Everything I do is based on the feelings, the emotions, the direction I’m getting from the rest of the community.”

The festival will run from May 20-31 and is expected to attract around 15,000 UK and international visitors.

Drummer Lee Rigby 25, who died in yesterday’s attack in Woolwich. Pic: MOD

In a rapidly developing police investigation into the murder of a 25 year old soldier in Woolwich yesterday, the Met Police have announced that they have made two further arrests and executed six search warrants “three in south London, one in east London, one in north London and one in Lincoln.”

The soldier has been named as Drummer Lee Rigby who was working in Army recruitment at the time of his death.

The two men shot and wounded in the John Wilson Street area yesterday afternoon, aged 22 and 28, have both been formally arrested on suspicion of murder. A man and a woman, both 29, have been arrested “on suspicion of conspiracy to murder,” and are being held at a south London police station.

The Met Police say “This is a large, complex and fast-moving investigation which continues to develop.”

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has  announced  “we are not pursuing any criminal or misconduct offences against officers” who discharged their weapons yesterday.

The IPCC statement offers new detail about the confrontation between the suspects and armed officers: “PCC investigators have viewed CCTV footage of the police shooting which was captured on a local authority camera positioned nearby. Three firearms officers, in an armed response vehicle, are seen to arrive in John Wilson Street, Greenwich, at 2.33pm. Two officers fired shots and one officer discharged a Taser. Two men sustained gun shot injuries and received first aid from the firearms officers. The men remain under arrest in hospital.”

The Daily Mirror newspaper has obtained smartphone footage taken by a resident of a block of flats overlooking Artillery Row and showing the confrontation between the suspects and armed police. It lasts less than 10 seconds and shows the police having to open fire when they are charged by the two men.

Daily Mirror obtains exclusive digital video of confrontation between suspects and armed police in Artillery Row, Woolwich

Commissioner Derrick Campbell said: “We have viewed CCTV footage of the police shooting. At this stage we are not pursuing any criminal or misconduct offences. Officers have provided initial statements and we will be obtaining additional accounts.”

He added: “The IPCC is independently verifying information regarding the circumstances of this incident and we can promise the Woolwich community, and wider public, that our investigation will be thorough.”

1,200 additional officers have been deployed on the streets of London with extra patrols at key locations such as religious venues, transport hubs and busy areas in the aftermath of the killing.

The Prime Minister David Cameron and Mayor of London Boris Johnson have visited the area today to emphasize their message for London and the rest of the country to stay calm and united, and follow the example of courageous women in Woolwich who yesterday tried to care for the dying soldier and confronted his alleged killers.

Prime Minister David Cameron, London Mayor Boris Johnson and local MP Nick Rainsford in dialogue to calm the community. Pic: Mayor’s Office

Mayor Johnson met local community leaders and the senior Metropolitan Police officers said their neighbourhood teams “are engaging face-to-face with the public and listening to any concerns they have; liaison with local organisations and businesses.”

Late this afternoon the Ministry of Defence named the soldier who died as Drummer Lee Rigby of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who is from Manchester and leaves a two year old son.

Drummer Lee Rigby in ceremonial uniform. He had also served in Helmand Province Afghanistan.

Drummer Rigby has been  described as “an extremely popular and witty soldier, larger than life personality within the Corps of Drums and was well known, liked and respected across the Second Fusiliers.” His commanding officer, Lt Col Jim Taylor, and the Secretary of State for Defence, Phillip Hammond, paid tribute to him and offered their profound condolences to his family.

More of his fellow soldiers remembered him with respect and affection in the statement released by the MOD.  The 25 year old soldier joined the army in 2006, had stood guard duty outside Royal Palaces in London, taking part in the Trooping of the Colour, and served in Cyprus and Helmand province in Afghanistan.

In 2011 he took up a Recruiting post in London where he also assisted with duties at Regimental Headquarters in the Tower of London. Captain Alan Williamson said he was known as “Riggers” in his platoon and “was a cheeky and humorous man, always there with a joke to brighten the mood, he was an extremely popular member of the Fire Support Group (FSG).”

David Cameron praising the courage of people in Woolwich who tried to help the dying soldier and confronted his attackers.

It is being reported that both of the alleged attackers were known to the Security Services. One of them has been named in social media and widely in the national media as Michael Adebolajo.

It is also reported he may have gone to the local Mulgrave Primary school only yards away from the scene of yesterday’s killing and shootings and may have been a student of  Greenwich University.

The national media are under considerable legal pressure in dealing with the more stringent prosecutory policy of the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC for contempt of court, when at the same time the incident and background to the Woolwich killing and shootings as a terrorism event raise considerable public interest issues.

Most of the national media has decided to investigate and analyse the extent of Adebolajo’s activities and associations with extremist Islamist groups and preachers.

1) Anjem Choudary, the former leader of banned radical group al-Muhajiroun, said Adebolajo regularly attended meetings and demonstrations held by his group and successor organisations.

2) It is alleged he may have been under the influence of Omar Bakri Mohammed, a “hate preacher” banned from Britain, currently living in Lebanon.

3) There is speculation of an attempt to travel to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab.

4) It is also reported that he clashed with police officers during a demonstration outside the Central Criminal Court in 2006.

The Security Service Headquarters in London. Questions for MI5 in the wake of events in Woolwich.

The political question being asked of the Security Service MI5 is if he had been known to them for these issues over a period of about eight years, why had they not been able to prevent him being involved in the events in Woolwich?

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said there would be a full investigation by the Security and Intelligence Committee.

Speaking at a press conference outside 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, said the killing “had sickened us all” and he praised the courage of people in Woolwich who were on the scene yesterday saying it was an example to the rest of the country.

Reports of eye witnesses indicated the attack started when the victim was knocked down by a car followed by the use of knives and a machete. There were reports that one of the attackers was in possession of a revolver.

One of the alleged killers told onlookers recording with their smartphones: ”You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don’t care about you.”

The government is anxious to reduce any risk of reprisals after members of the English Defence League staged a demonstration in Woolwich last night.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson insisted that London would not be divided:

2/2 – Clear & overwhelming message from the community meeting – London won’t be divided by this sickening atrocity.

— Boris Johnson (@MayorofLondon) May 23, 2013

There were scuffles with police officers though Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Crime and Operations, Mark Rowley, tried to play down the level of trouble: “there were small incidents of minor disorder in Woolwich last night, but these were closely monitored and dealt with, where appropriate, by officers in the area. There were no arrests or reports of any injuries or damage.

“It is very disappointing that a few individuals see such a tragedy as an opportunity to cause trouble – we have extra resources deployed and will ensure we continue to work with communities and keep them safe in the coming days,” he added.

Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne. Pic: Met Police

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne, has said: “Today our shock at what happened on the streets of our city remains. The investigation into the shocking murder of a serving soldier yesterday is ongoing, and is of course a major investigation for us.”

AC Byrne was anxious to deal with concern about the amount of time it took for the police to respond to the incident: “One point I would like to address is around some of the speculation as to how long it took the Met to respond yesterday as this incident started to unfold. We first received a 999 call from the public at 14:20hrs stating a man was being attacked, further 999 calls stated that the attackers were in possession of a gun. We had officers at the scene within 9 minutes of receiving that first 999 call.”

He said: “Once that information about a gun or guns being present was known firearms officers were assigned at 14:24hrs. Firearms officers were there and dealing with the incident 10 minutes after they were assigned, 14 minutes after the first call to the Met. The senior Scotland Yard officer visited Woolwich this morning with London Mayor Boris Johnson to talk to the media.

Assistant Commissioner Byrne said: “The Borough Commander in Greenwich held a meeting with community leaders last night and we are grateful for the support from the public. There has been an increased police presence in Woolwich and the surrounding areas overnight and this will continue for as long as it is needed. We will continue to monitor the situation throughout.”

He referred to the presence of English Defence League demonstrators in Woolwich last night and described them as “small incidents of minor disorder.” He emphasized there had been no arrests and no further incidents reported.”

A number 53 London bus on the Deptford and New Cross route was caught up at the scene of yesterday’s attack, and the alleged attackers appeared to invite passengers and other passersby to record and photograph them with their weapons in hand.

But while armed police were on their way to the scene, it was unarmed civilians and members of the Woolwich community who confronted the assailants, went to the aid of the stricken victim, including Cub Scout leader, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett who was reported asking one of the alleged attackers: “Would you like to give me what you have in your hands?”

“He was covered with blood. I thought I had better talk to him before he starts attacking somebody else,” she said.

She appeared on the ITV ‘Daybreak’ programme to describe her experience.

Another of the alleged attackers was recorded on a smartphone saying:  “I apologise that women have had to witness this today, but in our land our women have to see the same.” At least two other women tried to help the victim.

Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, 48, believed to be the woman seen talking to one of alleged attackers. Pic: @dannymckiernan

One sat on the tarmac beside his body and has been pictured offering comfort and prayers. The two alleged attackers were shot and wounded when armed police responders arrived on the scene and are being treated in separate London hospitals under tight security.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, arrived at Downing Street this morning for another security meeting and praised the people of Woolwich for their “astonishing natural courage in dealing with an appalling event and who stood up to those killers.”

These scenes at various times were witnessed by a wide range of local people including the Bishop of Woolwich, Rt. Rev. Michael Ipgrave, who went on national television afterwards to call for calm and understanding.

The Head Teacher of nearby Mulgrave Primary school, David Dixon, described how he locked down the school immediately after hearing gunshots and seeing a body lying in the road.

The unfolding events were recorded and reported on social media including images and messages left on the Woolwich community Facebook page.

Woolwich Community message “We are Woolwich so walk with us!” Pic: Woolwich Community Facebook

One of the site’s authors Danny Mercer wrote a rallying message for his community over a picture of the iconic Woolwich foot tunnel running from Greenwich to the north bank of the Thames and said: “We’ve had the riots and we bounced back. And now a terrorist attack killing a Woolwich based soldier but again we will bounce back.”

While the Metropolitan Police, Security Service MI5 and Independent Police Complaints Commission carry out the most intense anti-terrorist inquiry since 2005, security was substantially increased at military barracks and buildings throughout London and including East London Lines boroughs.

People living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and bordering areas of Lewisham have been living with the sounds of helicopters and emergency vehicle sirens.

Many flowers and messages of condolence are being left at the entrance to the Royal Artillery Woolwich barracks.

Media and politicians are beginning to appreciate acts of extraordinary humanity and courage shown yesterday afternoon when without concern for themselves ordinary people tried to help the victim and challenge his alleged attackers.

Local MP Nick Rainsford previously with the Borough Commander for Woolwich

Local Labour MP Nick Rainsford, who has represented Greenwich & Woolwich since 1997, said his community was in deep shock, but he said: “We saw yesterday in a very curious way the very best of human nature as well as the very worst.”

He praised the courage of local Woolwich people who tried to help and reason with the suspects and displayed: “extraordinary courage and humanity.”

A second emergency government and intelligence security committee known as COBRA, has met for the second time to evaluate the incident, but this time chaired by the Prime Minister David Cameron who flew back from Paris yesterday evening.

Home Sec has chaired first COBR meeting following #Woolwich incident. Attendees included Met Police, Mayor, Defence & Intel Services

— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) May 22, 2013

By mid-morning local social media and national newspapers were naming at least one of the suspects and there were reports of an address  in Lincolnshire being raided by detectives.

At around noon most mainstream national media organisations were writing news articles about Michael Adebolajo, 28, who was described by the BBC as “a Muslim convert.”

Throughout the morning uniformed police officers were conducting a fingertip examination of the crime scene.

Below, the junction on the A205 South Circular being forensically searched and examined by teams of police officers. The attack on the soldier and then the confrontation between his alleged killers and armed police, leading to two men being shot and wounded, happened in and around the A205 John Wilson Street, generally known as the South Circular, and neighbouring Artillery Place and Wellington Street.

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The Met Police said:  “We urge anyone who filmed or took photos as events unfolded in John Wilson Street to send them to police via woolwich@metincident.co.uk – please include your name and contact details, which will be treated in strictest confidence. Alternatively contact the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline 0800 789 321.”