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Horrified witnesses told last night how the off-duty soldier beheaded by two Islamic terrorists yesterday was hacked at “like a piece of meat”.

The unnamed serviceman, wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt, was brutally butchered with knives and meat cleavers after a car mounted the pavement and ploughed into him.

The barbaric killing that has shocked the nation happened at 2.20pm on a busy main road just 50 yards from a primary school and 200 yards from Woolwich Barracks in South East London.

The two attackers, who also had a gun – believed to be a revolver – were later shot and wounded in an apparent “suicide by cop” attempt after waiting at the scene for 20 minutes – then lunging at anti-terror squad officers.

They were both taken to hospital, where one was said to be in a serious condition last night.

Earlier it emerged that the pair filmed themselves moments after the killing – with one of them delivering a hate-filled warning to the people of Britain.

In the chilling mobile phone video, one is shown with his hands covered in blood as he clutches a cleaver and knife, the body of the soldier lying in the street behind him.

Speaking with a London accent, he rants: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you.”

Bizarrely, he apologises to women who saw the slaughter, but adds: “In our land our women have to see the same.

“You people will never be safe. Remove your governments, they don’t care about you. You think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street when we start busting our guns? You think politicians are going to die?

“No it’s going to be the average guy, like you and your children. So get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back so we can all live in peace.”

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A witness who got off a bus just as the incident happened told how he was filming the sickening scenes when one of the killers approached holding the knives and a gun.

He said the man, in a grey hooded jacket and black woolly hat, handed the revolver to his accomplice and said: “I just want to talk to you with your camera”. The witness added: “They wanted to give a message to the British government. That’s what they said to me when they were talking to my camera.”

The attacker is then seen walking towards his victim while the second man stands over the body.

A large smear of blood can be seen on the pavement where the soldier was dragged. Other onlookers said they were surprised that the pair made no attempt to flee. One said: “I think they wanted to do it publicly, to give a message and make a statement. They just stood there and waited for the armed police to arrive.”

He told how, as the attack happened, two brave women shouted at the killers: “Stop it! Stop it!” One of men is said to have swaggered in front of a crowd of shocked locals and demanded: “Take my picture.”

The terrorists, both believed to be in their mid 20s, are said to have appeared “crazed” as they launched their ferocious attack on the soldier. Witnesses told how they were “hacking at him, chopping him, cutting him – as if he was a piece of meat.” Cops sealed off parts of Woolwich after the incident, which began with the two men ramming the soldier with their blue Vauxhall Tigra on John Wilson Street. They jumped out of the car and set about him with knives and cleavers.

When armed cops eventually arrived the killers tried to attack them – and were gunned down, one by a female officer. One onlooker said: “She was really cool and just did what she had to do.”

(Image: Twitter/@dannymckiernan)

The wounded pair were being treated under armed guard last night in two separate London hospitals.

Witnesses said at least six shots were fired by the police. London Air Ambulance confirmed that one man was airlifted from the scene, while the other was taken by ambulance. Nearby Mulgrave Primary was immediately put into lockdown, along with the barracks.

Home Secretary Theresa May last night called a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cabinet committee Cobra amid fears the men could be part of a larger cell planning further attacks.

Speaking on a visit to France, Mr Cameron said the whole country would condemn the “absolutely sickening attack” – and vowed that Britain would not “buckle” in the face of it.

The PM warned: “The terrorists will never win because they can never beat the values we hold dear, the belief in freedom, in democracy, in free speech – our British values, our Western values. They are never going to defeat those.”

He said: “It is the most appalling crime. and our thoughts tonight must be with the victim, his family and friends.

“People across Britain in every community will condemn this attack. We have had this kind of attack before and will never buckle in the face of it.”

He added: “In a free country like ours the best way to defeat terrorism is to go about your life and live your life and show terrorism can never win.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson was among those taking part in the Cobra gathering. He said: “This was a sickening, deluded and unforgivable act of violence.”

Sources said it appeared the soldier was working out of Woolwich, but was not based there. He is thought to be part of a regiment currently based overseas. His killers are thought to have been lying in wait and picked him out at random as the left the barracks on foot.

Buckingham Palace also issued a statement following the incident. A spokesman said: “The Queen is of course concerned by the report of the attack. Her Majesty is being kept informed.”

Scotland Yard’s SO15 counter terror command and MI5 were last night trying to discover if the two men are known to the security services.

It emerged that one of them, believed to be originally from Nigeria, was recently refused Home Office permission to travel to Somalia.

Last night around 100 members of the English Defence League clashed with riot police as they gathered at The Queen’s Arms pub in Woolwich to protest over the killing.

Bottles were thrown and EDL supporters waved Union Flags and chanted: “England, England, England.”

At around 10pm, Tommy Robinson the EDL leader arrived. Surrounded by balaclava-wearing supporters, he shouted: “We are offended. Every British person is offended.”

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He added: “The whole country has had enough of this. I don’t know how much you think people will take.”

Earlier the Bishop of Woolwich, the Right Rev Michael Ipgrave visited a local mosque along in a show of solidarity with the Muslim community.

But elsewhere two attacks on mosques were reported in suspected revenge strikes. In Braintree, Essex, a man was arrested for attempted arson.

And there were also reports of criminal damage at a mosque in Gillingham, Kent.

Mr Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, last night condemned yesterday’s killing.

He said: “Our immediate thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims. From whatever angle you see this attack, it was evil at every level.”

- Live updates on the Woolwich terror attack