Terrorist victim: “It’s changed me in ways I’d never have imagined”
The worst terrorist attack in London since the 7/7 bombings shook the nation last week, with at least five people dead and 50 people injured – some seriously. In the aftermath of the shocking assault on the capital, the survivor of another extremist attac
Terrorist Khalid Masood, 52, turned central London into a bloodbath last week. The jihadist – a married father of three who was radicalised in Saudi Arabia, where he lived for four years – drove a Hyundai 4x4 on to the pavement on Westminster Bridge. He mowed down pedestrians, killing Spanish teacher Aysha Frade, 43, who was on her way to pick up her two daughters, aged 11 and eight, from school, US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, who was celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary with his wife, who was seriously injured, and Leslie Rhodes, 75, who died from his injuries the following day.
A group of French school children were among those injured by Masood – who had a history of violent crime – exactly a year after the Brussels bombings which killed 35 people.
One woman, Andreea Cristea, 29, who was in London to celebrate her fiancé’s birthday, was saved after plunging into the Thames. At the time of Closer going to press, she was critical in hospital, while her partner was treated for a fractured foot.
FATAL STABBING
Birmingham-based English teacher Masood, who was born Adrian Elms in Kent to a white British mother and a black father, crashed into railings and broke through security to get into the grounds of Parliament. He fatally stabbed father-of-two PC Keith Palmer, 48, before he was shot dead by police. As in the aftermath of the 2005 London bombings, which killed 52, the bravery of emergency services and medics, as well as the public who helped the injured, shone through. Thousands of people gathered to commemorate the victims in a vigil in Trafalgar Square the following evening.
For mum Jen Paul, 44, this latest attack brought back terrible memories. The British writer, who lives in France, witnessed a chillingly similar attack in Nice last July when an ISIS extremist driving a 25-tonne lorry ploughed into crowds who were watching fireworks during Bastille Day celebrations. He killed 86 people, including 10 children.
Jen says: “My heart goes out to London – I have family and friends who live there – and
‘It’s devastating but it will make us stronger’
I cried when I saw pictures of the aftermath. But the images of those who rushed to help the injured reminded me that terrorists will never win.
“London will recover and devastating attacks like this will only make us stronger.”
Jen had been for dinner with her son Hamish, 21, and was driving home alone when she was suddenly surrounded by crowds of people running and police with machine guns. Then she heard gunshots.
HYSTERICAL
Jen explains: “I didn’t know what had happened but I desperately tried to get hold of my son. A teenage girl was hysterical and screaming ‘help me’ so I got her into my car. She’d been separated from her father and younger sister and was terrified. I calmed her down and we called her dad to tell him she was safe. After I spoke to my son and knew he was safe, too, I burst into tears.
“I’d lived in Nice for 18 years and felt so safe there. It felt like an ideal place to raise my son but that feeling of tranquillity was destroyed that night.”
Jen struggled to cope with post-traumatic stress and eventually sought therapy for it.
She says: “I was numb in the days that followed and that was slowly replaced by anger. But mostly I was in complete shock and very upset. I knew I wasn’t coping, so my GP referred me for therapy, which really helped.
“But even so, I’ve changed in ways I’d never have imagined. I’m more fearful and I tend to avoid crowded places that I think might be a target for terrorists. But in other ways I’m far more daring – I’ve done a skydive since.
“I focus on the positives. Yes, one man was intent on killing and maiming as many people as he could. But, like London last week, many more people performed acts of selflessness and heroism that night. And it’s the same with all acts of terrorism – there are lots more good people than evil.”