Search for Clapham chemical attacker enters third day
Police say they're following up on "significant and important" evidence found in searches
Last updated 3rd Feb 2024
The search for suspected chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi has entered its third day as police follow up on "significant and important" evidence found in searches.
Police have called for the 35-year-old from the Newcastle area - who is described as having very "significant injuries to the right side of his face" - to hand himself in after going on the run following Wednesday's attack in Clapham, south London.
A 31-year-old mother, believed to be known to Ezedi, was attacked with a corrosive alkaline substance and remains "very poorly" and sedated in hospital, with her injuries thought to be "life-changing".
The injuries to her daughters, aged three and eight, are "not likely to be life-changing".
Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell told reporters outside Scotland Yard on Friday that "significant and important pieces of evidence" were recovered in searches carried out in east London and Newcastle on Thursday night.
Two empty containers labelled with corrosive warnings were found at an address in Newcastle, and forensic tests are checking if they held the substance used during the attack.
Mr Savell said: "In terms of our manhunt for Ezedi, we've got a large team of very experienced detectives leading the manhunt, using all the tactics that you would expect us to use, lots of officers out on the ground.
"We're working very closely with colleagues from Transport for London, British Transport Police and our colleagues in Northumbria Police as well.
"Last night, five search warrants were executed - two in east London and three up in Newcastle. We've recovered some significant and important pieces of evidence which will help with our investigation."
Making a direct appeal to Ezedi, Mr Savell said: "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."
Timeline of Abdul Ezedi's known movements
The wanted man left Newcastle in the "very, very early hours" of Wednesday and travelled south to the capital and was in the Tooting area by around 6.30am, police say.
There was a further sighting of his vehicle at about 4.30pm in Croydon and by about 7pm he was in Streatham.
Ezedi also allegedly threw the younger child to the ground during the attack at 7.25pm, before attempting to drive away from the scene, crashing into a stationary vehicle and fleeing on foot.
Minutes later he boarded a tube at Clapham South underground station, and by 8pm he was at King's Cross tube station.
At 8.42pm, Ezedi was captured on CCTV in Tesco on the Caledonian Road, pictured with a "fairly significant facial injury" buying a bottle of water, before leaving and heading right.
He got on a Victoria line tube at 9pm heading south, the last confirmed sighting.
Convicted sex offender
Friday's update came after it emerged Ezedi, who is believed to be from Afghanistan, 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.
Ezedi was put on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
He was granted asylum after two failed attempts, having reportedly travelled to the UK on a lorry in 2016, it is believed.
Ezedi was allowed to stay in the country after a priest confirmed he had converted to Christianity and was "wholly committed" to his new religion, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported.
It's understood he'd been living in a half-way house in the Byler area of Newcastle.
Home Secretary James Cleverly, who described the attack as "appalling", said: "My thoughts are with them (the victims) and the brave members of the public and police who intervened.
"I urge the public to support the Metropolitan Police's appeal and to come forward if they have any information."