Forest Hill stabbing: Knifeman shouted 'Death to Muslims'

A man said to have shouted: "Death to Muslims" before stabbing a passenger at a south-east London Overground station has been arrested.

The 38-year-old from London was taken into custody on suspicion of grievous bodily harm after police were called to Forest Hill station at 1.18pm on Monday following a report of a serious assault.

The assailant allegedly brandished a five-inch knife in front of terrified passengers and asked: "Who is a Muslim?"

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Witness Richard Etienne told the London Evening Standard the attacker first turned to a female passenger in a hijab, before saying: "I don't want me a Muslim woman, I want a Muslim man."

The knifeman then headed into another carriage, Etienne continued, adding: "He stopped shouting at the first car right behind the driver and the next thing I hear is a scream."

Another traveller tweeted that a man had approached a "guy sitting with his wife" before stabbing him "several times".

Passengers fled the train when it arrived at Forest Hill station and the emergency button on the platform was pressed. Etienne said the knifeman got off the train and shouted: "I am the Antichrist. I am going to kill me a Muslim."

Witness Miguel Oliveira told Sky News the attacker was "shouting stuff like 'Death to Muslims' and 'Go back to Syria'" outside the station before police arrived around ten minutes later.

A man in his 40s was treated at the scene and taken to hospital in a "serious, but not life-threatening" condition, the BBC reports.

British Transport Police say they believe the knifeman acted alone and did not represent a wider terrorist threat, although they confirmed they are treating the incident as a "serious hate crime".