London —
British counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation into the suspected murder of former UK lawmaker Ann Widdecombe “following new information and evidence,” UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said on Monday.
Police had previously said there was no information to suggest Widdecombe’s murder was an act of terrorism or politically motivated.
“The police are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack,” Mahmood said in an update. She later said the suspect was not previously known to the government program that works to stop individuals at risk of becoming terrorists.
The former lawmaker was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, in western England on Thursday. Police say they believe Widdecombe died the day before her body was discovered. She had “sustained serious injuries,” police said in a statement last week.
