The Metropolitan Police has ramped up its search for Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi after suggesting the 35-year-old Afghan refugee entered the River Thames.
Marine Policing Unit boats have been spotted on the Thames as officers search for a potential body.
Scotland Yard yesterday revealed Ezedi could have entered the water near Chelsea Bridge after carrying out the horrific attack on the evening of January 31.
The Metropolitan Police said its working hypothesis was the attacker had “gone into” the River Thames after being seen leaning over the railings on the night of the incident.
The Metropolitan Police has ramped up its search for Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi
PA
He was last seen at 11.27pm on Chelsea Bridge around four hours after the attack in South London.
In a briefing at Scotland Yard, Commander Jon Savell said: “We have spent the last 24 hours meticulously following the CCTV, and it's our main working hypothesis that he's now gone into the water.
“We have looked at all of the available cameras and angles, and with the assistance of Transport for London and CCTV from buses that were travelling over the bridge at the relevant time and there is no sighting of him coming off the bridge.”
Asked whether police were willing to say that Ezedi was dead, Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart said: “I'm prepared to say that he's gone into the water and if he's gone into the water then that's the most probable outcome.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Abdul Ezedi has been named as a suspectPAOfficers warn the Thames is very fast flowing at the moment, meaning a body might never be found.
A former Met Police Detective believes the alleged chemical attack suspect is dead.
Peter Bleksley has shared his belief that Ezedi died after jumping into the River Thames and subsequently drowning.
He told GB News’ Stephen Dixon and Anne Diamond: “Abdul Ezedi, an utterly worthless individual, whose contribution to the UK was to create a legacy of victims of crime, is dead.
Abdul Ezedi is the subject of a national manhunt by policeMetropolitan Police“He is dead. He went on to Chelsea Bridge, he was seen peering over the edge, there were a number of sightings.
“This is one of those cases, which, generally speaking, the public are not aware of when negative CCTV sightings are very, very important.
“We've grown used to in the last 20, 30 years, of seeing CCTV of criminals and police appeals, all being connected to a sighting of somebody.
“In this case, there have been no sightings of Ezedi, at either end of Chelsea Bridge, during the time span when he went on and to be looking over the edge, those negative sightings, in other words the fact he was simply was not seen, has proved, in my opinion, he has been claimed by the River Thames.”