ON PHONE 2 MINUTES BEFORE HIS RAMPAGE
11 arrests as police probe terrorist’s messages
WESTMINSTER terror killer Khalid Masood checked his mobile phone moments before launching his murderous rampage, it has been claimed. His Whatsapp message account had been active and a screen shot appears to show he looked at it at 2.37pm on Wednesday. Two minutes later he ploughed his car through crowds on Westminster Bridge, fatally injuring three people, before stabbing to death PC Keith Palmer in the grounds of Parliament. It was unclear last night whether he had been communicating with anyone on the messaging app, and Scotland Yard refused to comment. Whatsapp said messages are fully encrypted and cannot be read by the police or security services. Eleven people have been held by police investigating the attack. A huge counter-terror operation codenamed Operation Classific is looking at Masood’s movements before the rampage, tracing all those he communicated with. Raids on Thursday resulted in “significant arrests”, said Scotland Yard’s top anti-terror officer Mark Rowley, leading the probe. He said police are determined to find if Masood “acted totally alone, inspired by terrorist propaganda, or if others have encouraged, supported or directed him”. Searches were also carried out in East and South East London, Brighton, Surrey and Carmarthenshire. Last night police were still questioning two men aged 27 and 58 arrested in Birmingham on Thursday, plus a 35-year-old man and 32-year-old woman held in Manchester early yesterday. A woman of 39 held in East London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts was released on bail until later this month. Six people arrested at two addresses in Birmingham have been released with no further action. Detectives seized 2,700 items, including “massive amounts” of computer data, and spoke to around 3,500 witnesses. Before the attack Masood stayed at Preston Park Hotel in Brighton, telling staff he was going to London. He added: “It isn’t what it used to be.” The hotel boss said Masood was “laughing and joking”. Yesterday retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, was named as the fourth victim of the attack. Mr Rhodes of Clapham, South London, died in hospital after being hit by the killer’s hired Hyundai. His sister-in-law Audrey said: “These people are pure scum, evil.” Mum-of-two Aysha Frade, 43, of Notting Hill, West London and American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, also died after being hit by the car. Masood was shot dead by police. Two people remain in hospital in a critical condition. Fifty others were hurt in the attack.