‘I cry for victims’ – terrorist’s mum

THE mother of the Westminster terrorist has said she is “deeply shocked, saddened and numbed” by his actions and has “shed many tears” for his victims.

Speaking for the first time since the car and knife attack that left her eldest son, Khalid Masood, and four others dead, Janet Ajao condemned the “atrocity” in a statement via the Metropolitan Police.

Mrs Ajao, who lives in Wales, said: “I am so deeply shocked, saddened and numbed by the actions my son has taken that have killed and injured innocent people in Westminster.

“Since discovering that it was my son that was responsible I have shed many tears for the people caught up in this horrendous incident... I wish to make it absolutely clear, so there can be no doubt, I do not condone his actions nor support the beliefs he held that led to him committing this atrocity.”

Masood injured another 50 people as he drove along the pavement of Westminster Bridge mowing down pedestrians in a rented Hyundai that reached 120kmh before crashing into railings. Masood (52) then ran to the Palace of Westminster and fatally stabbed Pc Keith Palmer before he was shot dead.

Isil has called father-of-four Masood “a soldier of the Islamic State”, but police can find no direct links to the group.

The family of one of Ajao’s victims, US tourist Kurt Cochran (54), spoke in London yesterday of the “love of so many people” during a “humbling and difficult experience”.

Kurt’s wife Melissa (46) is recovering after the couple from Utah were run down while on a 25th anniversary trip.

Flanked by a dozen relatives, Clint Payne, Mrs Cochran’s brother, said: “It’s been a tender experience... so many have been so kind, we are deeply touched by their goodness and generosity.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)