Friday, May 24 20136PM 62°F9PM60°F5-Day Forecast
Two more Angels of Woolwich revealed: Mother and daughter comforted murdered soldier in his final moments because 'no man should die alone'
- Gemini Donnelly-Martin, 20, spoke to killer in the aftermath of the murder
- Her mother Amanda, 44, 'walked straight up to suspects with no fear'
- Sat next to victim in middle of the road and put her hands on his chest
- Witness: 'She wanted to comfort him. The man’s head was beside her'
- Cub Scout leader tells other attacker: 'It is only you versus many people'
- PM David Cameron praises her bravery, saying: 'She speaks for us all'
By Vanessa Allen, Lucy Osborne, Simon Tomlinson, Richard Hartley-parkinson and Rob Cooper
PUBLISHED:03:09 EST, 23 May 2013| UPDATED:08:34 EST, 24 May 2013
'We are not heroes': Angel of Woolwich Gemini Donnelly-Martin, 20, who stepped forward with her mother Amanda, 44, so they could be by the side of dying Drummer Lee Rigby
A mother and daughter dubbed the 'Angels of Woolwich' because they bravely risked their own lives by comforting a soldier left dying in the street stepped forward 'because no man should die alone'.
Gemini Donnelly-Martin, 20, and her mother Amanda Donnelly, confronted the suspected killers and asked the attackers if they could be by Drummer Lee Rigby's side.
Their refusal to be cowed by the terrorists won praise from all quarters, including Downing Street.
Although other bystanders watched in horror and police waited helplessly for armed officers to arrive, Gemini modestly insisted her and her mother were not heroes and had done what anyone else would do.
Amanda's son Simeon, 22, said the two women acted out of love.
He said: 'My mother was just driving past and she saw something and wanted to try and help.
'She just showed a bit of motherly love. She just did what any mother would have done.
'She felt that could have been me lying down there in the street. She just felt for the poor guy.
'No man should have to die like that in the street with no-one around him.
'She came home afterwards and she just sat down and had a cup of coffee. But she doesn't want to talk about it. She did what she did and wants to get on with her life again.
'Of course she is upset, it was a gory thing for anyone to see. But she just wants to get on with things.'
Gemini said that they had simply done what they thought was right.
She told the Daily Mirror: 'We did what anyone would do. We just wanted to take care of the man. It wasn't brave. Anyone would have done it. It had to be done. They (the killers) said women could pass.'
'The only thing people need to worry about is that poor man's mum. We are grateful, though, for what people are saying about us.'
When it became apparent Drummer Lee Rigby was beyond their help, they shielded his body from further desecration by his savage attackers.
Amanda, 44, insisted she be allowed to pray for the dead man even when confronted by one of the killer. Kneeling at his side, she cradled him gently, seemingly unfazed by his horrific wounds.
Yesterday Gemini was back searching for work at a local job fair while her mother did not want to talk about what happened.
Angels of Woolwich: Gemini Donnelly-Martin (circled), 20, and her mother Amanda (right) talk to one of the alleged attackers with blood on his hands. Meanwhile, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett (left) talks to the other suspect as Lee Rigby lies dead in the road
Brave Amanda confronted the killers and demanded to be allowed to sit next to the dead soldier to pray for him
At the same time, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett remonstrated with the fanatics, despite her fears they would attack again.
The Cub Scout leader and mother of two asked them to hand over their bloodstained weapons and listened to their hate-filled tirade about wanting to ignite ‘war in London’.
She selflessly tried to draw the men’s attention, later saying: ‘Better me than a child.’
Yesterday Mrs Loyau-Kennett, 48, denied suggestions she was a hero, saying: ‘That’s too much. I don’t think I have done anything really extraordinary. I just talked to a guy.’
But there were calls for her as well as Amanda and Gemini to receive honours for their courage.
David Cameron said Miss Loyau-Kennett’s bravery showed how ordinary people could unite to defy extremists.
The Prime Minister said: ‘When told by the attacker he wanted to start a war in London, she replied “You’re going to lose. It’s only you versus many”. She spoke for us all.’
The Angel of Woolwich: Amanda sits next to the dead soldier after the brutal killing while her daughter Gemini looks on
In broad daylight: The attackers repeatedly stabbed and tried to behead the off-duty soldier
The Angels of Woolwich: eyewitnesses' accounts of their bravery
The women’s intervention was made all the more remarkable by the scene of horror they faced.
A pool of blood lay where Drummer Rigby was attacked, and his assailants were covered with gore and still clutching their cleavers and knives.
But witnesses said the first woman, thought to be a highly religious mother in her 50s, did not flinch.
An eyewitness told the Guardian that one of the 'Angels of Woolwich' courageously persuaded the suspected killers to allow her to tend to the wounded.
'This lady whom I met talking with them went on trying to persuade them, and they finally allowed her to attend to the victim,' the eyewitness identified only as Abecham told the newspaper
Message of hate: One of the alleged attackers rants at the camera while pointing at the soldier he is suspected of killing
Crazed: The two black men in their 20s then waited calmly for the police to arrive before charging at officers brandishing a rusty revolver, knives and meat cleavers
Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, 48, jumped off her bus when she saw the dead man and then spoke to the killers in a bid to keep the situation calm
Modest: Yesterday Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, 48, denied suggestions she was a hero, saying: 'That's too much. I don't think I have done anything really extraordinary. I just talked to a guy'
Very modest terror heroes: Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, 48, (left) and Gemini Donnelly-Martin, 20, both denied suggestions that they were heroes after they stepped forward in Woolwich
DID YOU SEE THE KILLING?
Did you witness the killing and take pictures or video?
Or do you know the men involved?
Email us: mailonlinepictures@dailymail.co.uk
Or call 0203 615 1943
'She walked to him (the soldier), touched him, and said: "You have killed him," then sat beside him and was rubbing her hand on the victim's back while still saying: "You have killed him".'
Joe Tallant, 20, said: ‘She was so brave, she didn’t care what happened to her – she knelt down by his side and comforted him.
‘She held his hand and put her other hand on his chest. I think she might have been praying.’
Miss Loyau-Kennett, from Helston in Cornwall, was passing in a bus and jumped out to help at what she thought was a road accident.
‘I was sitting on the lower deck and the bus stopped. I could clearly see a body in the road and a crashed car,’ she said.
In shock: Women lay flowers near the scene where a British soldier was killed in Woolwich
Grieving: Flowers lay outside Woolwich Barracks. British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that the 'appalling' attack appeared to be terror related
‘I trained as a first aider when I was a Brownie leader, so I asked someone to watch my bag and then got off to see if I could help.
‘I went over to the body where there was a lady sitting there and she said he was dead.
‘She had comforted him by putting something under his back and a jacket over his head. I took his pulse and there was none.’
The language teacher, a former ‘snowy owl’ leader with the Brownie Guides, said she became aware of a man standing over them, armed with a gun and a knife.
She said she acted on instinct and began to talk to him, trying to save others from violence.
In interviews with newspapers and broadcasters, she pieced together the vital few moments when she was face to face with the suspect.
Devastated: A note left with floral tributes expresses regret that they 'couldn't stop them vile animals'
Remorse: A handwritten note is seen near the scene of the killing sending condolences to the dead soldier's family and comrades
POLICE HIT BACK AT CLAIMS THEY TOOK 20 MINS TO REACH SCENE
Police yesterday defended their response to the killing after eyewitnesses claimed they took up to 20 minutes to arrive at the scene.
Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne, said: 'One point I would like to address is around some of the speculation as to how long it took the Met to respond yesterday (Wednesday) as this incident started to unfold.
'We first received a 999 call from the public at 2.20pm stating a man was being attacked, further 999 calls stated that the attackers were in possession of a gun.
'We had officers at the scene within nine minutes of receiving that first 999 call.
'Once that information about a gun or guns being present was known firearms officers were assigned at 2.24pm.
'Firearms officers were there and dealing with the incident 10 minutes after they were assigned, 14 minutes after the first call to the Met.'
She said: ‘My instincts were just to talk to him, he looked like a normal guy, he wasn’t drunk, he wasn’t high on drugs. ‘He said, “Don’t touch, I killed him”. I said, “Why?” He said, “He’s a British soldier. He killed people. He killed Muslim people in Muslim countries”.
‘I tried to make him talk about how he felt. He said [about] all the bombs dropping and blindly killing women, children.
‘I wanted him to concentrate on me and make sure he doesn’t have a funny idea. There were more and more mothers with children stopping around, so it was even more important I was talking to him and asking him what he wanted.’
Asked if she was scared, she replied simply: ‘No – better me than a child.’
Miss Loyau-Kennett, who is half French, said the man had towered over her, so close he was almost touching her.
She said: ‘I was shocked, I asked him, “Why? What’s the point?” He said, “War in London, there’s war in my country”. He said it was war and if the police were coming, he was going to kill them.’
The Cub Scout leader said the attacker seemed to be ‘in full control of his decisions and ready to do everything he wanted to do’.
Her courage was shown by broadcasters and newspapers around the world, winning her international praise.
Miss Loyau-Kennett was in London for the 23rd birthday of her librarian son Basil Baradaran.
He said: ‘My first thought was for her safety but I could see she was completely intact. I couldn’t believe what she was telling me.
‘I don’t know what was going through her mind or how she found the strength to do what she did but I’m totally awestruck. I’m about as proud as a son could be.’
How it unfolded: A map showing the chain of events after the attack at 2.20pm on Wednesday
'She was so brave, she didn’t care what happened to her – she knelt down by his side and comforted him'
Joe Tallant, witness
He said his mother raised him and his sister Pawony, 24, as a single parent after their father returned to France when they were young. He added: ‘She’s caring, loyal and very, very protective.
‘Her incredible maternal instinct must have kicked in when she saw that defenceless man lying there. She could have walked away or stayed on that bus but she was determined to help. She has a real passion for helping people.
‘As amazed as I am by what she did, it’s actually what I’ve come to expect from her.’
Mrs Loyau-Kennett’s actions were praised by the Scout Association.
Wayne Bulpitt, UK Chief Commissioner, said last night: ‘We are very proud of Scout volunteer Ingrid Loyau-Kennett for her calm and measured actions in very difficult circumstances.
‘We are looking to make an award of bravery to her in the fullness of time to recognise her actions.
‘At this time our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victim of this terrible crime.’
SOLDIER WAS WEARING A HELP FOR HEROES HOODIE WHEN HE WAS KILLED BY TWO CRAZED KNIFEMEN CLOSE TO WOOLWICH BARRACKS
Hoodie: A Help for Heroes top like the one the murdered soldier was wearing
The soldier killed by two crazed fanatics just yards from the Woolwich Barracks was wearing a Help for Heroes top when he was attacked.
The young serviceman was hit by a car and crushed into a road sign on the street in south-east London before he was brutally murdered.
Video footage showed the dead man was wearing a dark blue top with white writing on it - which is believed to be the same as the Help for Heroes hoodie (right).
The killers attacked him with a collection of weapons including meat cleavers and knives before waiting for police to arrive, their hands covered in blood.
Yesterday members of the public were donating to the charity which helps wounded troops with their rehabilitation.
One man called Allan Beattie who donated to the charity wrote: 'In memory of the soldier brutally murdered yesterday (Wednesday) - rest in peace - and a thank you to all of our brave service men and women who do so much for us'
Kelly Alexander, who also gave to the charity wrote: 'Last night a black cloud went over our country,it will never be the same again,Rip to this young man brutally slain in his home country.I salute you x'
To donate to Help for Heroes yourself, click here
'This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam': Killers who butchered soldiers are condemned by Muslim groups
Tributes: A woman leaves flowers at the scene following the killing which was condemned by the Muslim Council of Britain
The killers who executed a soldier on a London street were yesterday condemned by Muslim groups for their 'truly barbaric act'.
The Muslim Council of Britain said the killers’ use of 'Islamic slogans' indicated they were motivated by their faith.
A statement from the council said: 'This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family.
'We understand the victim is a serving member of the Armed Forces. Muslims have long served in this country’s Armed Forces, proudly and with honour.
'This attack on a member of the Armed Forces is dishonourable, and no cause justifies this murder.'
The group called for vigilance and solidarity between 'all our communities, Muslim and non-Muslim', and for police to 'calm tensions'.
Akbar Khan from Building Bridges said : 'We totally condemn the killing of an innocent person in Woolwich.
'And we also condemn all forms of extremism wherever they are.
'The thoughts of the Muslim community are with the family of the man who lost his life, and we pray for him.'
Mohammed Shafiq from the Ramadhan Foundation said yesterday: 'I wish to condemn the evil and barbaric crime carried out in Woolwich.
'Our immediate thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims. From whatever angle you see the attack, it was at every level evil.
'We must allow the police to gather all the facts before unnecessary speculation and wait for the facts before determining its impact on our country.
'But what happens in the days to come, London and our nation will come together and will not be divided. The terrorists will never win and succeed in their evil plans.'
Julie Siddiqi, of the Islamic Society of Britain, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'We can’t allow the voices of Nick Griffin and the far right to become louder than ours in the coming days.
'They will say what we have to say and it gives us even more incentive to speak out and come together and not allow people like that to divide us as a country.
'This is one of the most shocking things I have seen in recent years and to have the people of Woolwich have to experience that so close to them, I just feel is absolutely horrific.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2329458/The-Angels-Woolwich-Three-womens-outstanding-courage-confront-killers-pray-slaughtered-soldier.html#ixzz2UEBihF3K
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use • Send us Feedback
.
__,_._,___
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment