Police have been given more time to question a man after a suspected terror attack in Surrey.
Officers were called to a Tesco car park in Stanwell on Saturday night after receiving reports a 19-year-old man had been stabbed in the hand and a man was seen rampaging with a baseball bat and knife while hurling racist abuse.
Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) declared it a “terrorist incident” and on Monday said officers were continuing to investigate.
A 50-year-old man from the village, which is near Heathrow Airport, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and racially aggravated public order offences, a police spokesman said.
Officers were called at around 10.30pm to reports of a man acting aggressively and shouting racist comments while carrying the weapons in Viola Avenue where vehicles had been damaged.
They then received another call reporting a man had been stabbed nearby.
Armed police attended and detained a man around an hour later in nearby Town Lane.
The victim was left with serious injuries on his hands.
He went to a nearby McDonald’s to get help and was taken to Ashford Hospital, then transferred to St George’s Hospital where he had surgery before being discharged, CPTSE said.
Police remained at the scene on Monday and officers continued to carry out searches.
Magistrates granted officers permission under terrorism laws to detain the suspect until Saturday.
It is believed the suspect in both incidents is the same man and officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack, police said.
Detective Superintendent Nigel Doak, from Counter Terrorism Policing South East, said: “Whilst this investigation remains in the early stages, it has continued to show the hallmarks of a terrorist event.
“It is believed that the offender made racial comments and statements, promoting extreme far right views before carrying out the attack.
“We believe the victim, a 19-year-old Southern European man, may have been targeted due to his ethnic appearance.”
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