London terrorist has long criminal record
LONDON - A British man described by the Islamic State as one of its soldiers was named by police Thursday as the terrorist who unleashed a one-man wave of murder and mayhem on the city’s famous Westminster Bridge and Parliament square, killing four and injuring dozens.
Khalid Masood, 52, has a lengthy rap sheet but no known terror convictions, police announced.
An American tourist was among the fatalities in Wednesday’s carnage, his family said Thursday. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, calling Masood its “soldier.”
Eight people were arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts, and police said the investigation was continuing. Masood, fatally shot by officers at the scene, had a “range” of previous convictions for assault, possession of offensive weapons and other offenses, London Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“Masood was not the subject of any current investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack,” the statement said.
Masood plowed his car into a crowd on Westminster Bridge before ramming it into a gate outside Parliament and fatally stabbing a police officer, authorities said.
The fatalities included a Utah man on a trip with his wife to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, his family confirmed Thursday. Kurt Cochran’s wife, Melissa, was hospitalized with serious injuries in the attack.
“A great American, Kurt Cochran, was killed in the London terror attack,” President Donald Trump tweeted. “My prayers and condolences are with his family and friends.”
Metropolitan Police said the latest victim, a 75year-old man, died Thursday in the hospital. Also killed were Keith Palmer, 48, the police officer with 15 years of service, and Aysha Frade, a British mother and schoolteacher.
Prime Minister Theresa May said the best response to the attack was “millions of acts of normality.”
“This country will not be cowed by these terrorists,” she said.
May’s call was heeded. Tourists streamed across Westminster Bridge on Thursday, hours after it was reopened.
British media reported the car used in the attack — a gray Hyundai i40 — was rented in Birmingham, a city of more than 1 million people about 125 miles northwest of London. Anti-terrorism forces swept into the city, and seven of the suspects were arrested there.
Queen Elizabeth II said she and her husband, Prince Philip, would not be able to officially open New Scotland Yard, the London police headquarters, as planned Thursday “for very understandable reasons.”
“My thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathy are with all those who have been affected by yesterday’s awful violence,” she said in a message to Craig Mackey, the acting commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Of the 40 people injured, 29 required hospitalization and five remained in critical condition late Thursday. May said 12 Britons were taken to hospitals. The others include three French teenagers, two Romanians, four South Koreans, one American, one German, one Pole, one Irish, one Chinese, one Italian and two Greeks, she said.
Three police officers were injured as they returned from an event to recognize their bravery, May said. Both houses of Parliament resumed normal operations Thursday.