Clapham chemical attack: Met offer £20K reward to find Abdul Ezedi and threaten those assisting him with arrest

The manhunt for chemical suspect Abdul Shokoor Ezedi has entered its fifth day, with a £20,000 reward in place for anyone with information leading to his arrest.

Police believe there are people who know the 35-year-old’s whereabouts and have not come forward.

The Met has warned anyone found assisting him will face arrest.

Edezi – who is from Newcastle – is being sought by the Home Office, UK Border Force, the National Crime Agency, British Transport Police and several police forces, after a woman and two young children were attacked with an alkaline substance on Wednesday at around 7.25pm.

The 31-year-old woman injured in the attack remains in a “critical but stable” condition in hospital, having suffered what are likely to be life-changing injuries. The two children, aged three and eight, also remain in hospital, their injuries have been assessed as not life-changing.

The Met have confirmed that Ezedi is known to the victim.

CCTV footage showing Ezedi at the Tesco store in Caledonian Road after the attack on Wednesday (Picture: The Met)

Police said the chemical used in the attack was a “very strong concentrated corrosive substance,” either liquid sodium hydroxide or liquid sodium carbonate.

Five search warrants have been carried out by police including at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle. Two empty containers with corrosive warnings on the label were found at an address in Newcastle.

Forensic tests are currently ongoing to see if the containers held the substance used in the attack in Clapham.

The force said the last sighting of Ezedi was at around 9.30pm at Tower Hill Tube station shortly after the attack in Clapham.

He had changed trains at Victoria, where he arrived on the Victoria line at around 9.10pm and departed on the eastbound District line at around 9.15pm.

Edezi, originally from Afghanistan, arrived in the UK in 2016. He was granted asylum after two failed attempts.

Six years ago, he was handed a suspended sentence for a sexual offence in Newcastle.

In an appeal directly to Ezedi, Darius Nasimi, of the charity the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, said: “Abdul, I am speaking directly to you. I want you to go straight to a police station immediately.

“You have a serious injury that needs to be seen to but, more importantly, you must do the right thing and hand yourself in to police.

“This has gone on for long enough.

“You can contact the charity if you wish and we can speak to you, and work together so that you can help the police with their enquiries.

“Abdul, please contact us as soon as you can, call 999, or go to a police station.”

As part of the renewed appeal, police have released CCTV footage showing Ezedi at the Tesco store in Caledonian Road after the attack on Wednesday.

Commander Jon Savell said: “A reward of up to £20,000 is now available for information leading to his arrest.

“I must warn anyone who is helping Ezedi to evade capture – if you are harbouring or assisting him then you will be arrested.

“Our inquiry line is staffed 24/7 by specialist detectives who are progressing enquiries around-the-clock.

“If you know where he is or have information that may assist, call them now.”

A spokesman for the Met said: “Anyone with information about Abdul Ezedi is asked to call 020 7175 2784 or, for an immediate sighting, dial 999.

“To remain anonymous, please contact the independent charity, Crimestoppers.”

Pictured top: Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, at a Tesco in Caledonian Road, Islington on Wednesday night (Picture: The Met)