On March 11th, an American woman was stabbed in an act of terror by a ,so far, unnamed attacker while sitting in her car a few blocks from her workplace, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). The GCHQ is the United Kingdom’s counterpart to the American National Security Agency, the functional manager of all U.S. Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). The woman was working a tour of duty at the British agency.
The Gloucestershire Constabulary, which is managing the case, made this statement:
”A 29-year-old man from Cheltenham has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act (2000), as well as on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act (2006).”
They also reported that the American “sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment, where she remains in a stable condition. Due to some specific details of this incident, Counter Terrorism Policing South East is leading the investigation, working alongside Counter Terrorism Policing South West and officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary.”
Her identity has not been released, nor has any affiliation of the attacker with a terrorist group.