Update: Woolwich killers are British-born and of Nigerian descent but 'were acting alone'

The Woolwich killers are of Nigerian background, sources have confirmed.  The man seen ranting on video shortly after the murder of a soldier is believed to be Michael Adebolajo. But it is understood the men, who are being treated in separate hospitals while under arrest, are most likely to be British citizens converted to a radical form of Islam.They are not thought to have links to terror groups based in Nigeria, such as the jihadist militant organisation Boko Haram.

Police were today seen outside a detached house in a Lincolnshire village where they raided a home where Adebolajo is listed as having lived in the past. There was no answer at the address believed to be that of Adebolajo's father, named by neighbours as Anthony Adebolajo. Mr Adebolajo, 56, is believed to be a trained nurse now working in a managerial capacity within the NHS. The modern property was being monitored by two police patrol cars stationed outside. Later in the morning, plain clothes officers, thought to be from the Metropolitan Police, arrived at the modern estate and the house and driveway was  sealed off with police tape. An officer at the scene described the property as a 'crime scene'.

Mr Adebolajo bought the property for £218,000 in 2002. At one time a woman who wore a burka was thought to live with him. They believed he had up to four grown up children, although few if any are thought to have stayed at the house for any period of time.

Michael Adebolajo was listed as being resident in 2004, shortly after the family moved in. One nearby resident said: 'I know his family have ties to London, but whoever is at this house is very secretive. 'The curtains are always drawn at the front and the back, I've never seen anybody in the garden, either.' He said his children nicknamed the family The Burbs, a reference to the 1980s Tom Hanks film of the same name about an unusual family who move in to a suburban American home. Neighbours said the house has been home to the same family for about a decade and the blinds at the house were today closed.

A spokesman said: 'Lincolnshire Police can confirm that the Metropolitan Police executed a search warrant under PACE 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 Foreign Office warns of a high threat from terrorism in the West African nation and raises the prospect of a risk of retaliatory attacks following the French intervention in Mali.

After the killing, the man believed to be Adebolajo is alleged to have declared: 'you and your kids will be next'. In a chilling rant captured on camera, the knife-wielding man declared: 'The only reason we have killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers.
The who launched the terrifying diatribe in Woolwich, south-east London, believed to be Adebolajo, who has been identified on Twitter and web forums as one of the arrested men. He added, in the video obtained by ITV News: 'Remove your governments - they don't care about you. You think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street when we start bursting our guns? You think politicians are going to die? 'No, it's going to be the average guy, like you, and your children. So get rid of them – tell them to bring our troops back so we can ... so you can all live in peace.’

The serviceman was murdered yards from the barracks in Woolwich, south-east London, yesterday.

In broad daylight, an attacker and an accomplice repeatedly stabbed and tried to behead the young serviceman in front of dozens of passers-by. The attacker, speaking in a clear south London accent, declared in the rant: ‘You people will never be safe. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ Throughout the frenzied attack the two killers shouted ‘Allah Akbar’ – Arabic for ‘God is great’ – then demanded horrified witnesses film them as they ranted over the  crumpled body.