Kent Police has named the man believed to have killed himself after fire bombs were thrown at a Dover immigration centre as Andrew Leak. Counter Terrorism Police officers are also now leading the investigation into the attack, Kent Police confirmed today, with officers stressing there was nothing to suggest anyone else had been involved in plotting the incident.
The bombing, which happened at the Home Office immigration centre in Dover at around 11.20am on Sunday October 30, involved a number of crude incendiary devices thrown outside and into the premises by a man who arrived at the scene, alone in a car.
The suspect’s vehicle was quickly located nearby with the man found dead inside.
Two members of staff reported sustaining minor injuries from inside the immigration premises.
A Kent Police spokesman said: “He has since been identified as Andrew Leak, aged 66, from High Wycombe.
“A search warrant was carried out at a property in the High Wycombe area in Buckinghamshire on Monday 31 October, and a number of items of interest were recovered, including digital media devices, which are being examined as quickly as possible.
“Due to the nature of the evidence gathered so far, it is clear that officers with specialist knowledge, resources and experience are best placed to lead this work to determine the motivating factors.
“There is currently nothing to suggest the man involved was working alongside anyone else, and there is not believed to be any wider threat to the community in the High Wycombe area or in Dover.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, Head of CTPSE, said: “This was a traumatic incident for everyone involved, and the wider community, and we’re working hard to establish exactly what led to the events on Sunday morning.
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“We understand that when Counter Terrorism Policing become involved, it can be worrying for some people, but I would like to reassure people that there is nothing to suggest any ongoing wider threat at this time.
He added: “What appears clear is that this despicable offence was targeted and likely to be driven by some form of hate-filled grievance, though this may not necessarily meet the threshold of terrorism.
“At this point, the incident itself has not been declared a terrorist incident, but this is being kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
The investigation into the incident continues and anyone with any information is asked to go to Kent Police’s Major Incident Public Portal.
Due to the nature of the evidence gathered so far, Kent Police says it is “clear” officers with specialist experience are best placed to lead the probe and have handed the investigation over to CTPSE.
Officers were called at 11.22am on Sunday morning to The Viaduct road by the Western Jet Foil site.
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit attended and made sure there were no further threats.
After the incident, 700 people were moved to Manston asylum processing centre in Kent for safety reasons.
Leak’s Facebook page includes several pictures of him staring intently into the camera, alongside which are various rambling comments.
In one he rants about people on benefits who “cannot speak English”.
In another he objects to the idea of King Charles III allowing Ukrainian refugees to live in one of his properties “that belong to the British people”.
In one particularly disturbing picture, Leak is shown wearing heavy make-up and what appears to be a latex mask.
Another appears to show him taking a drag from a cardboard “cannabis” cigarette.