''The Somali element – erm, no''

  

If ever a tweet could be said to have been sent 'with attitude' it was surely this from BBC News Home and Legal Correspondent Dominic Casciani yesterday:

Lots of speculation about the identity of the suspect in the dreadful killing of Sir David Amess. We have learnt from official sources that detectives have established the individual is a UK national, seemingly of Somali heritage. We report this in the interests of accuracy.

As usual with Dominic C on Twitter, it was carefully worded so as not to say exactly what was on his mind, merely to strongly hint at it. However, he then went on Radio 4's Today and blurted it out anyway:

Nick Robinson: The suspect is a British citizen, but he's also of Somali origin. Is that regarded as significant?

Dominic Casciani: The Somali element – erm, no. The reason why some reporters have established this fact is that there has been some misreporting. Yesterday, during the day, there were some news outlets, and also on social media, some suggestions as to the identity of the individual. So I think the police are at pains to clarify in a statement last night that the individual is British. They haven't said anything about the heritage. But my understanding is that there was initially, potentially, some confusion over the individual's background and identity.

And that has earned him this Mail on Sunday headline: