Lee Rigby’s ‘charismatic’ killer has converted other prison inmates to Islam
Judge says ‘influential’ Adebolajo is looked up to in jail as he begins fight for compensation for lost teeth
AN ISLAMIC extremist who murdered the soldier Lee Rigby in the street is looked up to by fellow prisoners and has helped convert other inmates to Islam, the High Court heard.
Michael Adebolajo was “charismatic” and intelligence suggested that he had influence over other inmates, Mr Justice Langstaff heard.
Detail of his life in prison emerged after he took legal action against the Ministry of Justice, claiming he was injured by prison officers during an incident in a cell. The judge oversaw a preliminary hearing in the case at the High Court in London yesterday.
Fusilier Rigby, 25, died after being attacked near Woolwich Barracks in south-east London in May 2013.
Adebolajo, who is in his early 30s, and Michael Adebowale, who is in his mid-20s, were convicted of running Fusilier Rigby down and then hacking him to death.
Adebolajo was given a whole-life jail term and Adebowale was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 45 years.
Mr Justice Langstaff said Adebolajo, who was not at the hearing yesterday, had complained about an incident in a cell while on remand in July 2013 when officers allegedly used force to restrain him. He had been held by the head and an arm and lost two front teeth. Lawyers representing the Ministry of Justice said officers likely to give evidence at any trial could be in danger if their names emerged in media reports.
They gave the judge details of the influence Adebolajo had in prison.
“He forms relationships easily,” said the judge. “He is charismatic. There is intelligence suggesting that he has had some influence on the conversion to Islam of some individuals.”
Mr Justice Langstaff added: “There is a large group of people who look up to Adebolajo.”
The judge said the use of physical force by prison officers had to be justified and revealed that Adebolajo had not been given legal aid to pay for his lawyers. 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.
Mr Justice Langstaff said any trial was some distance off and made an order barring prison officers involved from being identified by the media.