TERRORIST KNEW ONE OF HIS VICTIMS
Inquest told how killings unfolded
CONVICTED Tunstall terrorist Usman Khan had ‘professional dealings’ with one of the two people he stabbed to death at a prisoner rehabilitation event.
Cambridge University graduates Jack Merritt, aged 25, and 23-yearold Saskia Jones were killed by Khan at the Fishmongers’ Hall event, near London Bridge, on November 29 in 2019.
Khan, aged 28, was tackled by members of the public and then shot dead by police on London Bridge.
A jury inquest into the deaths of Mr Merritt and Ms Jones got underway on Monday.
Ms Jones was a former criminology student and excambridge undergraduate. Mr Merritt was employed by the university on the Learning Together programme.
Jurors were told that Mr Merritt had professional dealings with
Khan before the Learning Together event in the stately hall.
Footage from shortly before midday showed Khan talking ‘animatedly’ with Ms Jones at a table.
Around two hours later, he launched his attack in the men’s toilets.
Khan had strapped two knives to his hands and came across Mr
Merritt, stabbing him multiple times.
Ms Jones was stabbed once in the neck and staggered up a few steps before she collapsed, jurors heard.
Khan, who had also lived in Cobridge, went on to injure Stephanie Szczotko and Isobel Rowbotham during the rampage.
He was confronted by a number of people armed with makeshift
weapons, and was pursued on to London Bridge by John Crilly, Steven Gallant and Darryn Frost, five minutes after the attack began, jurors were told.
Mr Crilly sprayed a fire extinguisher at him and Mr Frost jabbed at him with a narwhal tusk before they all tackled Khan to the ground with other members of the public.
Police had been called and a senior officer said Khan appeared to be wearing an improvised explosive device (IED) strapped around his midriff, and people were told stand clear.
Khan was then shot and Tasered by police, but still appeared to present a threat as he writhed on the floor wearing the IED, the inquest heard.
He said police discharged their firearms again and Khan ‘no longer showed any signs of life’.
An examination of the IED later revealed it was not genuine, the court heard.
A further knife was discovered at his home in Stafford, where he had been living after his release from prison on licence after being convicted over a plot to blow up the London Stock Exchange and other targets. Khan and his terror cell mates had also discussed blowing up pubs in Stoke-on-trent.
Jurors were told that investigators examined Khan’s digital devices, CCTV, mobile phone data and GPS he wore as an offender on licence.
And that thee were ‘satisfied he acted completely alone in this attack.’
The hearing is due to go on for several weeks before a separate inquest into Khan’s death.