U.K. counterterrorism police take lead in probe into conservative politician’s killing: minister

2 hours ago 15

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Anti-terrorism police have taken charge of the investigation into the killing of veteran British right-wing politician Ann Widdecombe after fresh evidence emerged, the interior minister said Monday.

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The announcement confirmed that police view terrorism as one of the possible motivations for the attack on the 78-year-old former Conservative minister, who was found dead Thursday at her home in southwest England.

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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood wrote on X that following “new information and evidence”, Counter Terrorism Policing “are now leading on the investigation into the horrific murder” of Widdecombe.”

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Mahmood was to address MPs later Monday about the murder enquiry.

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The head of U.K. counter-terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said in a statement that “we are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack”.

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The regional police force initially leading the investigation, Devon and Cornwall Police, said late Saturday that a 28-year-old British man had been arrested in Yorkshire in northern England on suspicion of murder.

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The force said there was “still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism related incident”.

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Police have said Widdecombe was believed to have been attacked 24 hours before her body was found.

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The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported, citing neighbours, that the suspect arrested in Yorkshire had left his home in the town of Rotherham on Wednesday morning carrying a wooden stick.

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He was arrested hours after police released a man they had detained earlier.

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Widdecombe, a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010, was known for her Christian faith and outspoken views.

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In 1995 as prisons minister she was embroiled in a row after defending a policy of chaining pregnant prisoners to prevent them from escaping.

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A staunch supporter of Brexit, Widdecombe left the Conservatives in 2019 to join the party of anti-immigration leader Nigel Farage.

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