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Security expert Simon Bennett, director of the Civil Safety and Security Unit at the University of Leicester, said although soldiers have been targeted in the past by the IRA, this was the first attack on service personnel linked to an "Islamic fundamentalist agenda".

He said:

The key point I think to make is that the armed services have received this sort of attention in the past, going back to the provisional IRA.

They are well aware of this threat, however this would seem to be the first attack on a soldier in the UK motivated by some sort of Islamic fundamentalist agenda.

In that sense it's a new departure, but it's also important to keep a sense of history.

They might have been observing soldiers for some time.

The publicity that the attackers seem to have wanted to generate, by speaking to a recording device, would suggest it was premeditated.

• UK
• security
• Woolwich machete IPCC

We totally condemn the killing of an innocent person in Woolwich this afternoon.

And we also condemn all forms of extremism wherever they are.

The thoughts of the Muslim community are with the family of the man who lost his life, and we pray for him.

I wish to condemn the evil and barbaric crime carried out today in Woolwich.

Our immediate thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims. From whatever angle you see today's attack, it was at every level evil.

We must allow the police to gather all the facts before unnecessary speculation and wait for the facts before determining its impact on our country.

But what happens in the days to come, London and our nation will come together and will not be divided. The terrorists will never win and succeed in their evil plans.

But tonight we think of the family of that soldier killed.

The cold-blooded killing of a serving British soldier is a crime that sickens every member of every community in the UK.

For the peace of our communities to be shattered like this is almost unthinkable. We must come together, isolate those who believe that extremism and violence are acceptable, and work to ensure that they meet the full force of the law.

We must send a clear message to anyone that an attack on a serving soldier going about their daily activities is something that must be utterly condemned.

• UK
• Woolwich machete IPCC

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, said the attack in Woolwich was "sickening" and "deluded".

This afternoon's attack in Woolwich is a sickening deluded and unforgivable act of violence. My thoughts are with the victim and his family

From @MayorofLondon on Twitter: (about 3 hours ago)

• UK
• London

Professor John Gearson, reader in terrorism studies and director of the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London, said there has been a "worrying" increase in groups "targeting the armed services".

I would be cautious about reading too much into this at the moment but there has previously been speculation, plans and discussions by some groups about targeting the armed services and that is worrying.

They might well be al-Qaida inspired or radicalised by sermons they have seen online.

The fact that they hung around waiting to be arrested and captured is very odd - it is deadly and dangerous but not professional. But it shows they wanted to be seen and achieve some notoriety.

• UK
• Woolwich machete IPCC

Speaking before entering an emergency COBRA meeting, London Mayor Boris Johnson described the attack as "sickening and unforgivable act of violence."

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• London

Twitter user @Biet_Le shared this image of the scene in Woolwich which appears to show three bodies on the ground.

• UK
• London

Today's killing in broad daylight is thought to be the first terrorist attack on British streets since the 2005 London bombings.

As the victim is a soldier, the Woolwich incident mirrors a plot which saw a Birmingham man jailed for life in 2008 for plotting to kidnap and kill a British Muslim soldier. Parviz Khan admitted planning to lure the soldier off the streets with the promise of drugs - then film his beheading.

He was described in court as having "the most violent and extreme Islamist views", with the judge saying his aim was to deter any Muslim from joining the British Army. Khan was ordered to serve at least 14 years in jail.

• UK
• Woolwich machete IPCC

Speaking in Paris, Prime Minister David Cameron has said there are strong indications that the murder of a soldier in Woolwich was terror related

• UK
• London

This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly.

Our thoughts are with the victim and his family.We understand the victim is a serving member of the Armed Forces. Muslims have long served in this country's Armed Forces, proudly and with honour.

This attack on a member of the Armed Forces is dishonourable, and no cause justifies this murder. This action will no doubt heighten tensions on the streets of the United Kingdom.

We call on all our communities, Muslim and non-Muslim, to come together in solidarity to ensure the forces of hatred do not prevail.

• UK
• Woolwich machete IPCC

The Cobra meeting, which lasted around an hour, heard that security has been tightened at Woolwich barracks and increased at all London barracks, Downing Street said.

The meeting was attended by the Home Secretary, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Met Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick and intelligence agencies.

The meeting was told there are strong indications that it was a terrorist incident.

• UK
• Cobra
• Downing Street