The fire-bomb attack on UK immigration centre last week was ‘motivated by terrorist ideology’, said Counter Terrorism Police, as reported by AFP.
“Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE), who have been working with Kent Police since the initial notification of this incident, have recovered evidence that indicates the attack at an immigration centre in Dover on Sunday, 30 October 2022, was motivated by a terrorist ideology," the body said in a statement, reported the news agency.
However, the police also made clear that there is no evidence which suggests that Andrew Leak was working with anyone else. The police also dismissed any wider threat to the public.
On October 30, a man threw petrol bombs attached to fireworks at a migrant processing centre in the southern English port of Dover and then killed himself, reported Reuters. No one was hurt in the attack. The police had later identified the man as 66-year-old Andrew Leak.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East Chief Superintendent Olly Wright said there was nothing to suggest the man was working alongside anyone else, and there was no wider community threat, reported BBC. He said, "What appears clear is that this despicable offence was targeted and likely to be driven by some form of hate-filled grievance, though this may not necessarily meet the threshold of terrorism."
The British government is at present grappling with record number of migrants crossing through northern Europe in small boats.