LONDON (AP) — Former British politician and reality TV contestant Ann Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack,” though the motivation is still under investigation, counterterror police said Tuesday. A 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder and terror crimes remains in custody as the investigation continues.“It is clear that this was a targeted attack,” Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing told reporters. “We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation that sits behind that attack.”The death of Widdecombe, 78, a former member of Parliament, shocked the British political world, where Widdecombe was a prominent voice for decades. She was a blunt-speaking character known for socially conservative views opposing abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights.Counterterror police took over the investigation Monday after new evidence was discovered. Devon and Cornwall Police had originally said the killing was not believed to be a terror-related crime and there was nothing to suggest it was politically motivated.
Police said they believe Widdecombe was attacked Wednesday afternoon. She failed to appear that afternoon for a scheduled TV interview and was found dead the next day in her isolated rural home in a southwest England village.
