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Dover petrol bomb attack 'was a terrorist incident'

By: Alex Langridge alangridge@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 11:51, 05 November 2022

Updated: 11:53, 05 November 2022

Evidence has indicated a petrol bomb attack on an inmigration centre was a terrorist incident.

This week, police named Andrew Leak as the man who threw incendiary devices at the site for asylum seekers in Dover in the attack on Sunday.

Andrew Leak has been identified as the suspect behind a petrol bomb attack. Photo: Facebook

Leak, 66, was pictured laughing as he threw three fuel bottles strapped to fireworks at Western Jet Foil at the port town's docks, after driving more than 100 miles from his home in High Wycombe.

Two members of staff reported minor injuries from inside the centre, but no asylum seekers were harmed.

The suspect – said to have "severe mental health difficulties" and whose social media was littered with tirades against asylum seekers, Muslims and the Royal Family – then drove away from the area.

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Detectives quickly found his white SUV at a nearby petrol station, with Leak dead inside.

A raid was carried out at his home and material was found which made it necessary to draft teams from Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CPTSE) to take the lead.

Officers from CPTSE have now recovered evidence that indicates the attack was motivated by a terrorist ideology.

The attack was fuelled by terrorist ideology. Picture: REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

In their investigation, witnesses have been interviewed and a number of items of interest have been found, including digital media devices.

Evidence from examining these suggests there was an extreme right wing motivation behind the attack.

There is currently nothing to suggest the offender was working alongside anyone else and there is not believed to be any wider threat to the public.

The investigation is still ongoing, including work being carried out on behalf of His Majesty’s Coroner.

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Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to go to the Major Incident Public Portal. Footage and pictures relating to it can also be uploaded here.

Tim Jacques, senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing, said: "This was clearly a very worrying incident and although nobody was seriously hurt, two people did sustain minor injuries.

Emergency services in Dover following the petrol bomb attack. Picture: Sam Lennon

"Increasingly in counter terrorism casework, across all ideologies, we are seeing individuals who have mental health concerns and a hateful mind-set.

"Assessing when this crosses the terrorism threshold is a complex process and needs to be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. These decisions need to be determined by the facts, as far as they can be established at any given time.

"After considering the evidence collected so far in this case, whilst there are strong indications that mental health was likely a factor, I am satisfied that the suspect’s actions were primarily driven by an extremist ideology. This meets the threshold for a terrorist incident."

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