London attacker forced beliefs on wife, children

London, March 26: Two British tabloids are claiming that Westminster attacker, Khalid Masood, put tremendous pressure on family to convert to his beliefs.

The Sun and the Daily Mail reported on Sunday that Masood had at least two lovers, a wife and three children. The reports said Masood, born Adrian Elms, was able to radicalise his eldest daughter — convincing her give up her “western lifestyle”.

His first partner, identified as one Jane Harvey, is the mother of daughters Andi Jay and Teegan-Adrienne. Those close to the family claim Harvey had to endure Masood’s notorious temper and say she was “glad” the couple broke up in 2003, after he was imprisoned for slashing a man's face during an argument at a pub. The prison where he served a two-year sentence is where officials believe Masood was radicalised.

The Mail claims the youngest daughter consistently rejected her father’s idea of hardline Islam and resisted his attempts to get her to wear a burkha. The eldest daughter though, adopted Islam's traditions soon after Masood changed his name from Adrian Elms — following a short stint in Saudi Arabia in 2005 where he worked as a teacher.

“Her father wanted the younger daughter to convert but her mother was against it and there was quite a struggle,” a person close to the family was quoted as saying by the Sun. — Agencies