A BODY has been found in the hunt for chemical fugitive Abdul Shokoor Ezedi – 20 days after his ex and her children were attacked.
Ezedi, 35, went on the run after 12 people were injured in the horror in Clapham, South West London, at 7.25pm on January 31.
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The Met launched a huge manhunt for the suspect after he lured the 31-year-old mum into meeting him.
He then is alleged to have attacked her and her daughters, aged three and eight, in their car, police said.
The Met believed Ezedi had jumped into the water after he was last seen pacing up and down on Chelsea Bridge.
Police today confirmed a body was recovered on Monday at 4pm from Tower Pier.
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Cmdr Jon Savell said: “Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi.
“We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news.
“As you may expect after a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints.
“We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time.”
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It comes as friends of the woman injured yesterday gave an update on her condition.
The GoFundMe page reads: “Mum continues to be sedated in hospital. We still don’t know the full extent of damage to her vision.
“We appreciate anything and everything you can do to keep building support.
“As Katie Piper highlighted in her Instagram post, ‘burns treatment is a long process and going over target is still very much needed’.”
A total of 12 people were injured in the attack – including the 31-year-old mum and her daughters.
Cmdr Savell previously said there was a “very strong indication” the pair were in a relationship, which had since “broken down”.
The mum remains in hospital but is now in a stable condition and no longer sedated, he confirmed today.
Police have still not spoken to her but are hoping to soon.
The discovery comes after cops searched the River Thames in West London, believing Ezedi had gone into the water.
He was last seen crossing Chelsea Bridge at 11.27pm, around four hours after the attack in Clapham, before disappearing.
CCTV footage showed him leaning over the bridge before he disappears out of sight, cops say.
Det Supt Rick Sewart said death was the “most probable outcome” if Ezedi had gone into the water.
But the Met had warned that Ezedi’s body may never surface from the fast-flowing Thames.
On the run
The fugitive’s details were shared with all UK police forces and ports and a £20,000 reward was offered for information leading to his capture.
Ezedi arrived in the UK in a lorry and failed to claim asylum.
However, he then converted to Christianity and was accepted on his third attempt with a priest as a character witness.
Ezedi pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure before he was granted asylum, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed.
He was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018, to a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault.
For the exposure he was given 36 weeks’ imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years.
Rise of chemical attacks in the UK
IN 2022 there were 710 chemical attacks in the UK – the highest since records began.
Ezedi had been living in Newcastle for several years but is thought to have travelled to London recently.
Witnesses said Ezedi spent his days “hanging around the streets” of Newcastle near the hostel where he was living last summer.
Officers raided a pizza takeaway where Ezedi previously worked in Newcastle as the hunt continued.
They also searched a second address in the city but no arrests were made.
It followed raids at two homes in East London and three in Newcastle.
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Cops released footage of officers entering one home in the city where empty containers with corrosive warnings on the labels were found.
A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender but released on bail as enquiries continued.
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