Streatham terror attack: Nursery school teacher named as stabbing victim

5 February 2020, 00:33 | Updated: 5 February 2020, 00:36

One of the people stabbed by Sudesh Amman in the Streatham terror attack has been named as nursery school teacher Monika Luftner.

Ms Luftner, 51, was attacked by Amman as she was riding her bike home on Sunday afternoon.

In a statement, St Bede's Catholic Infant & Nursery School in Lambeth said the teacher was making a "good recovery after experiencing a shocking attack."

She was discharged from hospital on Sunday night and has since asked for privacy while recovering from the "traumatic incident."

On their website, a ticker-tape announcement reads: "IMPORTANT NOTICE: We can confirm a member of school staff was injured in Sunday’s terror-related incident in Streatham.

"She is making a good recovery, but following this traumatic incident has asked to be allowed time to recover, and that her wish for privacy be respected."

Amman, 20, from Harrow, was released from prison 11 days before the attack after serving half of a three-year four month prison sentence for a string of terror offences.

The Met Police said he was being tracked by undercover officers as soon as he left a property nearby shortly after 1.20pm.

From there, he walked into a shop on the high street just before 2pm, stealing a knife and unwrapping it as he ran from the shop.

It took him just 60 seconds from the moment he entered the shop to begin attacking innocent bystanders on the street.

Armed police who were tailing him then took only 60 seconds to shoot him dead in the street.

He was wearing a fake suicide vest when he was neutralised and was believed to have been inspired by Islamist ideology.

Amman was fascinated with dying "in the name of terrorism," and one of his life goals was to be a martyr, police have said.

One of Amman's victims, a man in his 40s, had life-threatening injuries but his condition has since improved. A second woman, in her 20s, was injured by glass after an officer discharged their firearm.

The government has since announced plans to introduce emergency legislation to prevent the early release of terrorists.

Amman's father said he never thought his son "would go this far" and he did not know he had become radicalised.

Faraz Khan said Sudesh Amman was reciting the Koran when they last spoke, a day before the attack.

Mr Khan, who left the UK for Sri Lanka three months ago, told Sky News: "He's never spoken to me about these kind of things.

"He would never talk to me about naughty things. I heard they found a lot of things and I saw them on the news, but I never thought he would go this far."