Soldier’s killer is converting fellow inmates to Islam
THE killer of soldier Lee Rigby has been converting other inmates behind bars.
Fusilier Rigby, 25, from Middleton, died after being attacked near Woolwich Barracks in south-east London in May 2013. Two men, Michael Adebolajo, then 28, and Michael Adebowale, then 22, are serving life for murder. The pair mowed down Fusilier Rigby in a car before death.
Now a High Court hearing resulting from a personal hacking him to injury claim Adebolajo has made has heard details of the influence he wields in prison.
Speaking of information received on Adebolajo, Mr Justice Langstaff said: “He forms relationships easily. He is charismatic. There is intelligence suggesting that he has had some influence on the conversion to Islam of some individuals. There is a large group of people who look up to Adebolajo.”
Adebolajo claims he was injured by prison officers during an incident in a cell and wants compensation.
Mr Justice Langstaff oversaw a preliminary hearing in the case at the High Court in London yesterday. He said any trial was some distance off and made an order barring prison officers involved from being identified.
Mr Justice Langstaff said the incident at the centre of Adebolajo’s claim had occurred while he was awaiting trial.
Five prison officers had been escorting Adebolajo. Physical force had been used to restrain him.
He had been held by the head and an arm and had lost two front teeth.
The judge said the use of physical force by prison officers had to be justified.
Ministry of Justice lawyers told the judge that prison officers were ‘deeply unhappy’ about being involved in legal proceedings.
Mr Justice Langstaff said Adebolajo had not been given legal aid to pay for lawyers to represent him.
He said Adebolajo might have to represent himself at any trial and suggested that it would be in the interests of justice if public funding could be given.
“If and when this case comes to trial it will be a great pity to justice, and in particular the presentation of the claimant’s case, if some means were not found to ensure he had professional help,” said the judge.
“If that could be done by public funds all the better.”