Masood had ‘no links to Isis cell’
POLICE have found no evidence of any link between Khalid Masood and Islamic State.
After a five-day probe police are certain Isis did not direct the mass murderer’s car and knife rampage.
Instead the terror network latched onto the lone wolf attack and tried to claim it was led by them.
And officers have not found any association between Masood, 52, and Isis’s rival terror network al-Qaida.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said the killer was not part of an organised terror cell and described the atrocity as “low-tech”.
Muslim convert Masood had copied his “techniques” from previous terror attacks.
He said: “While I have found no evidence of an association with IS or AQ there is clearly an interest in jihad.
Crime
“His attack method appears to be based on low sophistication, low tech, low cost techniques copied from other attacks and echo the rhetoric of IS leaders in terms of methodology and attacking police and civilians.”
Mr Basu said there was also no evidence he had been radicalised in prison. He had not committed a crime for 14 years prior to last Wednesday’s attack.
But Mr Basu appealed to anyone that he was in touch with before his 82-second spree.
Masood reportedly used encrypted messaging service WhatsApp moments before driving his rented Hyundai 4x4 into pedestrians.
Last night counterterrorism officers were continuing to question two men aged 30 and 58.
Both were detained in Birmingham where Masood lived and rented the motor used.
Yesterday the family of Kurt Cochan – the US tourist mown down and killed by Masood – said they bore “no ill will or harsh feelings”.
Mr Cochran, 54, was on holiday celebrating his 25th anniversary with wife Melissa, who remains in hospital.