A former police seargeant has warned that the suspect in a horrific acid attack that injured a mother and her two daughters could be wearing a “full face veil” to escape police. A £20,000 is currently beign offered to find Abdul Ezedi, 35, who has been on the run since January 31.
He was last seen as Tower Hill Underground station in London following the chemical attack in Clapham, south west London.
The injured woman, who is known to Ezedi, is in a critical but stable condition in hospital. The attack – carried out with a corrosive substance reported to be oven cleaner – took place on Lessar Avenue, Clapham at 7.25pm on Wednesday, January 31.
Speaking to LBC, The Hunted’s Mel Thomas – who was a Sergeant in Leicestershire Police – said: “Think back to three years ago when we were walking around with face coverings on. So now, it’s not uncommon with someone to be walking around with a face covering, with a hoodie on.
“That person could be disguising themselves completely, could even be walking around with a full face veil. So it is difficult for the authorities to catch individuals who want to stay under the radar but hopefully we will get that breakthrough and we will apprehend that individual.”
The woman, 31, is said to have experienced life changing injuries while her daughters, aged three and eight, suffered injuries not “as serious as first thought”.
The Met Police have now offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Ezedi.
The Met’s Cdr Jon Savell said a laboratory analysis of the substance from the attack site found it was a “very strong concentrated corrosive substance, either liquid sodium hydroxide or liquid sodium carbonate”.
“Further enquiries are ongoing including comparison with the containers seized from Ezedi’s address in Newcastle,” he added.
Nick Aldworth a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator with 36 years’ experience in the police and military, says it is “not unlikely” Ezedi could have taken his own life.
Mr Aldworth told BBC Radio 4: “I think if we’ve not seen or heard anything from him in the last couple of days, which appears to be the case, he’s gone to ground – possible supported by somebody, and you’ll note that the Metropolitan Police service have offered a £20,000 reward.
“That’s commonly done, when there is a sense that somebody is hiding within the community.
“Or – it’s not unlikely or improbable that he may have taken his own life and there is therefore, a body to be found somewhere.”
Asked whether it’s possible Ezedi can move around in public given the CCTV footage released of him, Mr Aldworth said it’s “unlikely”.
He added: “It is possible to trap somebody across London using public network CCTV and also using public appeals for things like dashcams.
“You effectively follow the individual from camera to camera and when the last camera captures his image, you literally do a trawl around the area for whichever other camera might have also captured their image and then you start that journey again.
“There have been some incredible successes over time in tracking individuals through that method and it is very effective, there’s software that helps as well.”
