PH Telegram messages by ISIS supporters

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Chat logs on the messaging app Telegram, which is frequently used by jihadis to communicate, apparently show ISIS supporters sickeningly sharing photos and updates on the attack, which police are treating as murder. Detectives are looking at terrorism as a possible cause of last night's knifing, which left a woman in her sixties dead and five others injured, but the motive remains unclear and no group has claimed responsibility. Messages written in Arabic and translated by Express.co.uk show an account calling itself Khemh Dadhar News sharing pictures of the crime scene.

Russell Square attack Fri, August 5, 2016 A woman has died and five people have been injured after a 19-year-old knifeman went on a stabbing rampage in central London. Play slideshow EPA 1 of 14 US woman stabbed to death in Russell Square attack named as Darlene Horton

According to Michael Smith, a US-based security expert who sits on the Congressional Taskforce on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, "IS-linked Telegram channels [are] spreading news of knifing incident in UK". He later added that activity on the extremist group's other social media channels remained low after the attack, adding weight to the theory that jihadists were not involved in the attack. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said early this morning: “Early indications suggest that mental health is a significant factor in this case and that is one major line of inquiry.”

One account reportedly said: “It’s nice to wake up to such news.” Another added: “And here you have a picture of the site where the stabbing took place, Russell Square in the centre of ‘Christendom’ London.” Police arrived within five minutes of being called and used a Taser electric shock gun to detain the 19-year-old suspect. He was later arrested on suspicion of murder.

PH The Telegram messages