Anti-terrorism police take on case of murdered former British minister

UK authorities say the investigation has changed direction and is now treating Widdecombe's death as a possible terrorist case. "On Wednesday, Ann Widdecombe was murdered in her home. The circumstances of her death are extremely disturbing. Counter-Terrorism Police have now taken the lead in the investigation," Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs.

A British man was arrested in Rotherham, northern England, late Saturday night on suspicion of murder. He is now also being accused of committing, preparing or instigating terrorist acts, according to authorities.

Initially, police had said they had no evidence of terrorism or political motivation. "We are investigating several lines of reasoning to determine the motivation for this attack," said Laurence Taylor, head of the National Counterterrorism Police.

Mahmood said that the new information does not, so far, indicate the suspect's connection with Prevent, a British program to combat radicalization. The police asked the public to provide information that could help clarify the case and stated that the priority is to speed up the investigation.

The Interior Minister stated that Widdecombe's death reignites the debate about the protection of people who work in public life in the country. She said the government will work with Parliament to discuss security measures for lawmakers and others involved in politics.

The safety of parliamentarians is under scrutiny in the UK following two murders of sitting politicians in the last decade. Labor MP Jo Cox was killed during the Brexit campaign in 2016, and Conservative MP David Amess was killed in 2021.

Widdecombe was found dead, with serious injuries, at her home in Haytor Vale, south west, on Thursday. Police believe she was attacked almost 24 hours earlier.

A 26-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of the crime, was released and is no longer part of the investigation. Also a British citizen, he had been arrested the day before yesterday in Newton Abbot, a town about 15 km from Widdecombe's home.

Former minister was known for her socially conservative views. She was against the right to abortion and the expansion of LGBT rights, advocated that pregnant prisoners be handcuffed during childbirth to prevent escape and considered single mothers to be bad examples.

Widdecombe was pro-Brexit. She joined Reform UK, the party founded by Nigel Farage, and became a spokesperson for anti-immigration policy.

Read Also: Former Iranian president placed under house arrest, says newspaper