Anti-terror police search Lincolnshire property as part of Woolwich soldier killing investigation

Anti-terror police investigating the "barbaric" murder of a soldier in London have searched a property 150 miles away in Lincolnshire.

While the two suspected killers were under armed guard in different London hospitals, detectives swooped on an address in Saxilby.

There were also reports of addresses in the London area being searched by police.

Scotland Yard refused to comment, but Lincolnshire Police said: "We can confirm that the Metropolitan Police executed a search warrant under PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) at an address in Lincolnshire. This is in connection with the ongoing investigation into the murder of a man in Woolwich. The Metropolitan Police are not prepared to discuss the matter further at this stage."

The news came as Scotland Yard confirmed that the victim of the attack, which took place in daylight yesterday afternoon, was a serving soldier, who has yet to be formally identified.

Sources said both the killers are believed to be British citizens with Nigerian connections who converted to a radical form of Islam. But they are not thought to have links to terror groups based in Nigeria, such as the jihadist organisation Boko Haram.

Security chiefs and politicians met this morning to discuss their response to the attack.

Arriving for a meeting of the Government's Cobra crisis commitee, mayor of London Boris Johnson said it was wrong to link the murder with British foreign policy or the actions of Britain's armed forces overseas.

Mr Johnson said: "The fault lies wholly and exclusively in the warped and deluded mindset of the people who did it."

The mayor also urged Londoners to "go about their lives in the normal way".

Others attending the meeting included Sir John Sawers, head of security service MI6.

Security was tight this morning at the army barracks near the scene of yesterday's killing.

Troops in London were advised in the immediate aftermath of the attack not to wear their uniforms outside their bases.

But at the Cobra meeting this morning it was agreed that issuing orders against wearing military uniforms in public would not be the right response to the outrage.

A No 10 source said last night's advice was an "understandable reaction" while the circumstances of the attack were still unclear, but Mr Cameron and others at the meeting agreed that "the best way to defeat terrorists was to continue with normal life".

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "In light of yesterday's events and the emerging situation, the military chain of command introduced a package of immediate reactive security measures on a precautionary basis.

"Following a review of the situation this morning, a decision has been taken to relax some of these temporary measures imposed yesterday, including advice to members of the armed forces in London not to wear uniform outside of defence establishments.

"The best way we can defeat terrorism is to carry on as normal, and that includes our personnel wearing their uniform."

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman confirmed that officers travelled to Lincolnshire last night to carry out searches.

She said: "We can confirm that the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) executed a search warrant at an address in Lincolnshire. This is connected to the ongoing investigation into the murder of a man in Woolwich."

PA