LONDON – Police have announced plans to search the River Thames for the body of Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, the suspect in a chemical attack in Clapham. Detectives believe that Ezedi went into the water near Chelsea Bridge in west London on the night of the attack, after being captured on CCTV footage walking with purpose for hours before disappearing from view.
The 35-year-old is suspected of dousing a mother and her daughters with an alkaline substance on the night of January 31. The police announced that at this time of year, the Thames is very fast flowing and full of snags, meaning it is possible that Ezedi’s body may never surface.
The search for Ezedi’s body comes after days of ongoing police efforts to locate him. Originally from Afghanistan, Ezedi is believed to have arrived in the UK in 2016 and is wanted on suspicion of attempted murder over the attack, which took place in Lesser Avenue at about 19:25 GMT.
Ezedi’s case has raised concerns and debates over the UK’s immigration and asylum system, as he had previously had his asylum claim rejected twice before successfully appealing against the Home Office by claiming he had converted to Christianity. He also had a history of sexual offences, but was allowed to remain in the UK as his crimes did not meet the threshold for deportation.
The injured woman remains in the hospital sedated, with concerns that she may lose sight in one eye. Her two young children, aged eight and three, have been discharged from the hospital. The suspect, who is not the father of the children, suffered serious facial injuries in the attack and police have repeatedly encouraged him to seek medical attention.
The ongoing search efforts and the complex history of the suspect continue to highlight the challenges in the UK’s immigration and asylum system, as well as raising questions about public safety and the monitoring of individuals with past criminal records.