The 52-year-old English teacher and dad of three who launched a murderous terror assault on the heart of London
Cops arrest eight people in raids across Britain
THE Westminster terror attacker was yesterday named as Khalid Masood, a former teacher with a string of criminal convictions. Police confirmed the 52-year-old, who was shot dead, was once on MI5’S radar but was not being monitored before he went on the rampage. Terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility and described Masood as one of its “soldiers”. Last night the death toll of victims in the atrocity rose to four after a 75-year-old man lost his fight for life. A Met police spokesman said: “The man had been receiving medical treatment in hospital following the attack and life support was withdrawn this evening. Next of kin have been informed and are receiving support from trained family liaison officers.” The victim passed away as detectives continued to quiz eight terror suspects with alleged links to Masood. Last night it was claimed the killer, believed to be a married dad of three, may have been radicalised in prison while serving time for GBH, wounding with intent and possessing an offensive weapon after an attack in 2003. Police confirmed he had not been convicted of any crime since that year.
He was like a shadow. It was hard to tell he was living there NEIGHBOUR ON TERRORIST MASOOD
BODYBUILDER
According to reports, Masood had described himself as an English teacher. But is understood he never worked at any state schools. One source described him as “a big bloke, he looked like he was a bodybuilder, you wouldn’t want to mess with him”. He said Masood was a “very religious, well-spoken man” and added: “You couldn’t go to his home in Birmingham on Friday, because he would be at prayer.” Police said the killer, born in Kent on Christmas Day, 1964, had been “known by a number of aliases”. It is believed he last lived in the Winson Green area of Birmingham, where he shared a flat with a woman and a young child. Neighbour Iwona Romek, 45, said yesterday: “When I saw the pictures on TV and in the papers, I recognised him as the man who used to live next door. “I would see him quite often, but it would just be a ‘hello’ and a ‘how are you’. “He had a young child, who I’d think was about five or six years old. “There was a woman living there with him, an Asian woman. He seemed quite nice, he would be taking care of his garden and the weeds. He moved out in December.” Another former neighbour who lived near him in Dunraven Avenue, Luton, from 2010 to 2011 said he always wore black Islamic dress and a black beanie hat. She said: “He was always shy. I didn’t see him often. Sometimes I would see him walking around at night. I didn’t see him during the day. He was like a shadow. It was hard to tell he was living there.” Teacher Katie Garricques, 48, who also lives nearby said: “He was frequently gardening or mowing his lawn. He was always polite.” Masood is also thought to have lived in East London, with a man of that name registered to an address in a terraced street in West Ham. A neighbour said: “This guy is a local guy. I’ve been living in the area for 20 years. I don’t know him personally but I believe he belongs to a mosque on Leyton High Road. “I’ve seen his face many times. I saw him on the news at around 7pm last night and thought, ‘This is the guy I know from the mosque’. He had a beard and big eyes.” Masood became a killer on Wednesday when he mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing into railings outside the Palace of Westminster and knifing unarmed PC Keith Palmer. Mum-oftwo Aysha Frade, 43, and American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, also died of their injuries after being hit by Masood’s 4x4. The vehicle was rented from Enterprise car hire in Spring Hill, Birmingham. It was not clear last night if the fourth victim was injured on the bridge or outside Parliament. Scotland Yard said four people remained in a critical condition. Two police officers injured in the incident last night remained in hospital in a “serious” condition. Meanwhile, the investigation into Masood’s motives continues. Eight people have been arrested in raids across London, Birmingham and Carmarthenshire. They are three women aged 21, 26, and 39 and five men aged 23, 26, 27, 28 and 58. All were being quizzed on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts. Police arrived at a flat in East London, believed to be that of Masood’s partner, late on Wednesday. Two officers stood guard on the door yesterday while forensic teams worked inside looking for clues. The block, in the Olympic Park, Stratford, housed athletes during the 2012 Games. Neighbour Zeeshan Rais,
33, said: “We all moved in at the same time in 2014 but I only really knew the lady to say hello to. “You would see her out in her wheelchair. Sometimes there was a man there, smoking on her balcony, but we hadn’t seen him for the last three months.” Two of the male suspects were arrested after police raided an flat at Hagley Road, in Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday night. Metropolitan Police said there was “no prior intelligence about Masood’s intent to mount a terrorist attack”. Nevertheless, “he was known to police and has a range of previous convictions for assaults, including GBH, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences”. His last conviction was in 2003. In a statement, Islamic State gloated about the atrocity. It said: “The attacker yesterday in front of the British Parliament in London was a soldier of the Islamic State executing the operation in response to calls to target citizens of coalition nations.” Home Secretary Amber Rudd warned against blaming intelligence services for failing to stop the attack, saying they do “a fantastic job”. She spoke after a defiant Theresa May vowed Parliament will never bow to terror as she addressed a grave House of Commons yesterday. She said: “Today we meet as normal to deliver a simple message – we are not afraid. “And our resolve will never waiver in the face of terrorism.” Mrs May paid tribute to the fallen but made clear that Britain, like Parliament, would carry on as normal this week. She said: “As I speak millions will be boarding trains and aeroplanes to travel to London, and to see for themselves the greatest city on Earth. It is in these actions – millions of acts of normality – that we find the best response to terrorism.” The PM was speaking after the Commons held a minute’s silence to remember the victims. The Taoiseach spoke to Mrs May in a 10-minute phone call after the horrific attack. Enda Kenny offered the sympathy of the Irish Government to the British people and any assistance that may be required. They also spoke about the ongoing negotiations in Stormont towards the reestablishment of power sharing in Northern Ireland.