Stabbing suspect ‘known to MI5’
A TERROR suspect held over the knife attack in the park of an English town that killed three people came to the attention of MI5 last year, security sources have said.
The 25-year-old man, understood to be named Khairi Saadallah, was detained near the scene at Forbury Gardens in Reading and arrested on suspicion of murder.
He was later rearrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act, which gives police the power to detain him without charge for up to 14 days.
Schoolteacher James Furlong, 36, is the only victim to be named so far. Two other people injured in the attack remain in hospital, while one has now been discharged.
It emerged on Sunday the suspect, a refugee of the civil war in Libya, briefly came to the attention of MI5 last year, but the information provided did not meet the threshold of investigation.
PA understands M15 had intelligence he planned to travel abroad, possibly for terrorism purposes, but the threat was found to be insubstantial.
As counter-terror officers investigate, mental health is understood to be considered a factor in the latest incident.
Police have said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “appalled and sickened” by the incident and said “we will not hesitate to take action” if there are lessons to be learned from the case.
The suspect was jailed in October for a complex series of non-terror offences before his sentence was reduced to one of 17 months and 20 days’ imprisonment in the Court of Appeal.
One of the appeal judges who gave the judgment in March, Mr Justice Goss, noted Mr Saadallah’s various mental health issues in reducing the sentence.
The Sun reported he left the Bullingdon prison in Oxfordshire 17 days ago after less than half of his sentence.
HE (JAMES) WAS THE BEST SON, BROTHER, UNCLE AND PARTNER YOU COULD WISH FOR … WE WILL NEVER FORGET HIM. GARY AND JANET FURLONG
Tributes from former students of Mr Furlong poured in after two co-head teachers at his school – the Holt School in Wokingham – announced his death online.
His parents, Gary and Janet, said in a statement: “He was the best son, brother, uncle and partner you could wish for.
“We are thankful for the memories he gave us all. We will never forget him and he will live in our hearts forever.”
Despite treating the incident as a terror attack, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said on Sunday the motive is still “far from certain”.