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29 March 2024

4 held for attack on Emirati sisters in London

This picture taken on April 7, 2014 shows a general view of the Cumberland Hotel in central London. Three women from the United Arab Emirates were in hospital on April 7, 2014 after being savagely attacked in their room at a luxury London hotel by a man wielding a hammer, police said. The women, all in their 30s, sustained serious injuries to their heads and faces during the "unusually violent attack" at the four-star Cumberland Hotel. (AFP)

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By Staff/AFP

British police were holding four suspects in custody Wednesday after three female Emirati tourists were bludgeoned in a hammer attack in their luxury London hotel room.

The attack happened at around 2:00am Sunday in a room on the seventh floor of the Cumberland Hotel.

On Tuesday, officers arrested three men aged 56, 34 and 32 on suspicion of attempted murder following raids at addresses in north London, according to a Scotland Yard statement.

A 31-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. All four remained in custody Wednesday, police said.

Al Roya said the suspects are of Eastern European origin and are jobless without identification papers.

They are to be referred to Prosecution today [Thursday] after checking security cameras. Al Roya reported that the suspects escaped the hotel by the fire escape at the rear of the hotel.

One of the victims remains in a critical condition in hospital. The other two women are also in hospital, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, the statement said.

Police believe the victims had left their door unlocked as they were staying as part of a large family group who had adjoining rooms.

The wealthy family, who had come to London for shopping and sightseeing, arrived in Britain between Thursday and Saturday and the women had visited high-end stores on Saturday.

No keys were stolen from the hotel and police said there had been no breach of security at the venue.

Detectives are scouring security camera footage to establish the movements of both the women and the suspects earlier on Saturday.

Many wish speedy recovery for Emirati sisters

Twitter is abuzz over the recent vicious hammer attack on 3 Emirati sisters during their stay at London’s Cumberland hotel on Monday.

Most people are horrified at what happened and hope the attacker would be found and punished.

“Still so shocked by what happened with the 3 emirati girls in London. Praying that they find who did it and get what they deserve,” said Mariam@xo_maz.

There are concerns that it may impact on a lucrative source of tourists.

London cops appeal for info on hammer attack on Emirati sisters

London hotel attacker is killer not thief: Dad

“Absolutely vile & disgusting. It's becoming a theme that many gangs & criminals are targeting arab tourists,” tweets Faizaan@El_OptiMist

The injured sisters, Khuloud, Ohoud and Fatima, all in their thirties, are in hospital.

An Emirati woman staying at the hotel said ‘I was terrified’ after the attack. Another hotel guest expressed the same sentiment.

“Feel terrible for the Emirati sisters that were attacked in London! Like the acid attack in Zanzibar,” tweets Savio Peter@Sav_UK