London attacker Khalid Masood was a criminal with militant links

[webfact]

London attacker Khalid Masood was a criminal with militant links

By Michael Holden

REUTERS

 

Police officers search an area of Parliament Square the morning after an attack in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

 

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Before he killed at least four people in Britain's deadliest attack since the 2005 London bombings, Khalid Masood was considered by intelligence officers to be a criminal who posed little serious threat.

 

A British-born former teacher and Muslim convert, Masood had shown up on the periphery of previous terrorism investigations that brought him to the attention of Britain's MI5 spy agency.

 

But he was not under investigation when he sped across Westminster Bridge on Wednesday, ploughing down pedestrians with a hired car before running into the parliamentary grounds and fatally stabbing an unarmed policeman. He was shot dead by police.

 

Although some of those he was involved with included people suspected of being keen to travel to join jihadi groups overseas, Masood "himself never did so," said a U.S. government source, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

 

"Masood was not the subject of any current investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack," London police said in a statement.

 

"However, he was known to police and has a range of previous convictions for assaults, including GBH (grievous bodily harm), possession of offensive weapons and public order offences."

 

Islamic State claimed responsibility for Masood's attack, although it was unclear what links - if any - he had with the militant group.

 

BRITISH-BORN KILLER

 

The 52-year-old was born in Kent to the southeast of London and moved though several addresses in England, although he was known to have lived recently in Birmingham in central England.

 

Known by a number of other aliases, he racked up a string of convictions, but none for terrorism-related offences. His occupation was unclear.

 

It was as long ago as November 1983 that he first came to the attention of authorities when he was found guilty of causing criminal damage, while his last conviction came 14 years ago in December 2003 for possession of a knife.

 

Little detail has officially been given about the man and what might have led him to carry out Wednesday's attack, the deadliest in Britain since the London suicide bombings of 2005 by four young British Islamists, which killed 52.

 

"Our working assumption is that he was inspired by international terrorism," said Britain's most senior counterterrorism police officer, Mark Rowley, adding: "Islamist-related terrorism is our assumption."

 

One of his former neighbours in Birmingham said: "When I saw the pictures on TV and in the papers of the man who carried out the attack, I recognised him as the man who used to live next door."

 

"He had a young child, who I'd think was about 5 or 6 years old. There was a woman living there with him, an Asian woman. He seemed to be quite nice, he would be taking care of his garden and the weeds," Iwona Romek, 45, told reporters at her home.

In December, she said, he suddenly moved out.

 

The Daily Mail newspaper said Masood had been born Adrian Elms and was brought up by his single mother in the seaside town of Rye on England's south coast, later converting to Islam and changing his name.

 

Other media reports said he was a married father of three and a former English teacher who was into bodybuilding.

 

BIRMINGHAM CONNECTION

 

Birmingham has been one of the hotbeds for British Islamists. According to a study by the Henry Jackson think tank earlier this month, 39 of 269 people convicted in Britain of terrorism offences from 1998 to 2015 came from the city.

 

Among those plots was one to kidnap and behead a British soldier. In December, two men were found guilty of planning to give 3,000 pounds ($3,750) to Brussels bombing suspect Mohamed Abrini - widely known as "the man in the hat".

 

There are over 213,000 Muslims in Birmingham, making up over a fifth of the population, according to the 2011 census, and there has been growing concern about divisions in the diverse city.

 

The car Masood used in Wednesday's attack had been hired from rental firm Enterprise's Spring Hill branch in Birmingham, suggesting he still had connections to the area.

 

Since the attack in London, police have raided a number of addresses across the city, arresting five men and two women on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.

 

Masood may have rented an apartment close to the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, not far from the Enterprise offices, and that was one of the properties raided by armed officers.

 

On the eve of the attack that Prime Minister Theresa May cast as an attack on democracy, Masood spent his last night in a budget hotel in Brighton on the south coast where he ate a takeaway kebab, the Sun newspaper said.

 

"An act of terrorism tried to silence our democracy," May told parliament. "He took out his rage indiscriminately against innocent men, women and children."

 

($1 = 0.7997 pounds)

 

(Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-24

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

RIP innocent people killed by a calculated jihadist.

[Krataiboy]

I share your sentiments in regard to the victims of this appalling attack, but one should really rush to judgement about the man or his motivations.  To do so is to play into the hands of the anti-Islam lobby and leaders who are using the so-called war on terror to impose ever greater surveillance, control and loss on liberty on people across the West.

 

The ludicrous statement from Teresa May this this was an act of terror designed to "silence our democracy", without any evidence to support such as statement, and the hysterical coverage by the mass media shows how gripped by mindless paranoia the West and increasingly dumbed-down public is becoming.

 

If anybody wants to know about real terrorism they ask some of the refugees who have poured into Europe from, Iraqi, Syria and other areas of the world where the US and its allies have hired fundamentalist thugs such as Al Qaeda and IS to do their dirty work.

[anon4546543]

24 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

I share your sentiments in regard to the victims of this appalling attack, but one should really rush to judgement about the man or his motivations.  To do so is to play into the hands of the anti-Islam lobby and leaders who are using the so-called war on terror to impose ever greater surveillance, control and loss on liberty on people across the West.

 

The ludicrous statement from Teresa May this this was an act of terror designed to "silence our democracy", without any evidence to support such as statement, and the hysterical coverage by the mass media shows how gripped by mindless paranoia the West and increasingly dumbed-down public is becoming.

 

If anybody wants to know about real terrorism they ask some of the refugees who have poured into Europe from, Iraqi, Syria and other areas of the world where the US and its allies have hired fundamentalist thugs such as Al Qaeda and IS to do their dirty work.

No, let us not rush to conclusions that yet another Islamist has killed, murdered, blown up or knifed some innocent to death. Although Islam apparently preaches peace, so many want to create an "anti Islam lobby", by committing terrorist attacks, but we should not be alarmed by this. To do so would mean the creation of a more secure state in which potential terrorists would not be subject to scrutiny. Or banned or thrown out of the country that they have no intentions of adapting, dare I say integrating into.

It is not the initial economic and desperate invaders that Europe needs to fear. It is the children who will not fit in, have trouble at school, who feel isolated, who find it hard to get a job because of low education, low self esteem and low IQ. These are the ones that will take up Jihad.These are the ones you need to fear.

[elliss]

British national , what more can  you say ,   Proud to British ..

  UK  is  totally out of control .  just victims  of terrorists . RIP

[joecoolfrog]

2 hours ago, elliss said:

British national , what more can  you say ,   Proud to British ..

  UK  is  totally out of control .  just victims  of terrorists . RIP

I live near London , you are talking utter nonsense , have a nice day.☺

[elliss]

19 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

I live near London , you are talking utter nonsense , have a nice day.☺

 

 I live  near Bradford ,  not welcome anymore .

   Kindred spirits . 

Edited March 25, 2017 by elliss

[anon4546543]

On 24/03/2017 at 10:47 PM, Krataiboy said:

I share your sentiments in regard to the victims of this appalling attack, but one should really rush to judgement about the man or his motivations.  To do so is to play into the hands of the anti-Islam lobby and leaders who are using the so-called war on terror to impose ever greater surveillance, control and loss on liberty on people across the West.

 

The ludicrous statement from Teresa May this this was an act of terror designed to "silence our democracy", without any evidence to support such as statement, and the hysterical coverage by the mass media shows how gripped by mindless paranoia the West and increasingly dumbed-down public is becoming.

 

If anybody wants to know about real terrorism they ask some of the refugees who have poured into Europe from, Iraqi, Syria and other areas of the world where the US and its allies have hired fundamentalist thugs such as Al Qaeda and IS to do their dirty work.

"The US and its allies have hired fundamentalist thugs such as Al Qaeda and IS to do their dirty work". 

What planet do you come from, the US does assist the Kurds and it does assist the Iraqi military and it does assist some dubious anti IS forces in Syria. It does not assist IS,( post links) it does not assist Al Qaeda. Support your claims. I will in future watch your posts Kraitaiboy, because you are a very silly boy. Should be Kraptaboy

[anon4546543]

On 24/03/2017 at 10:47 PM, Krataiboy said:

I share your sentiments in regard to the victims of this appalling attack, but one should really rush to judgement about the man or his motivations.  To do so is to play into the hands of the anti-Islam lobby and leaders who are using the so-called war on terror to impose ever greater surveillance, control and loss on liberty on people across the West.

 

The ludicrous statement from Teresa May this this was an act of terror designed to "silence our democracy", without any evidence to support such as statement, and the hysterical coverage by the mass media shows how gripped by mindless paranoia the West and increasingly dumbed-down public is becoming.

 

If anybody wants to know about real terrorism they ask some of the refugees who have poured into Europe from, Iraqi, Syria and other areas of the world where the US and its allies have hired fundamentalist thugs such as Al Qaeda and IS to do their dirty work.

"Refugees poured into Europe" from defunct Islam countries as a result of Islam sects wanting to kill other Islam sects. A true refugee goes to the nearest safe country and applies for assistance. They do not invade another countries borders. Despite what the near and near ousted former Chancellor Ms Merkel says. She had no right to invite non Germans to invade her country. Have you ever asked a terrorist in Europe what his dumbed down opinions were. You are foolish

[A1Str8]

He was a small time criminal and behind the whole facade there is always a government that makes these things possible to put fear in people. 

The media always forgets to finish the sentence. Only mentions the fall guy but never talks about the dudes who pull the strings. Why??? 

[anon4546543]

5 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

He was a small time criminal and behind the whole facade there is always a government that makes these things possible to put fear in people. 

The media always forgets to finish the sentence. Only mentions the fall guy but never talks about the dudes who pull the strings. Why??? 

Yes, he was a small time criminal and he had low self esteem, low education and low IQ. Just the sort of person that IS or Jehovha's Witness loonies would target. The "dudes" (how I hate that juvenile word) are mentioned. IS criminals on line and in the UK prison system. Your local mullah or self proclaimed cleric. They are all inferred. "dude". They are in your country now and this is just a minor news item as to what is yet to come. "dude". It is the government that let in loonies that influence loonies "dude" And they they are all Islam loonies "dude"

[Krataiboy]

15 hours ago, spiderorchid said:

"The US and its allies have hired fundamentalist thugs such as Al Qaeda and IS to do their dirty work". 

What planet do you come from, the US does assist the Kurds and it does assist the Iraqi military and it does assist some dubious anti IS forces in Syria. It does not assist IS,( post links) it does not assist Al Qaeda. Support your claims. I will in future watch your posts Kraitaiboy, because you are a very silly boy. Should be Kraptaboy

And YOU need to stop believing the "official" view of world events according to the establishment mass media. Try this useful backgrounder, for starters, from one of the few British newspapers with the guts not alwas to toe the line:  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/03/us-isis-syria-iraq

 

I suggest you do digging around the names, people and places mentioned in the article.I am happy to provide further sources (I've spent many years on research), but only if you are seriously interested. In this case, message me.

[katana]

David Wood's views on politicians claiming the attack was not Islamic:

 

 

[simple1]

On 26/03/2017 at 4:42 AM, spiderorchid said:

"Refugees poured into Europe" from defunct Islam countries as a result of Islam sects wanting to kill other Islam sects. A true refugee goes to the nearest safe country and applies for assistance. They do not invade another countries borders. Despite what the near and near ousted former Chancellor Ms Merkel says. She had no right to invite non Germans to invade her country. Have you ever asked a terrorist in Europe what his dumbed down opinions were. You are foolish

Before commenting on 'safe countries' it would be a good idea to understand the accepted definition under international Convention.

[simple1]

3 hours ago, katana said:

David Wood's views on politicians claiming the attack was not Islamic: <snip> video deleted as don't want to support poisonous drivel.

Another video sourcing a known extreme far right propagandist.

 

Again demonstrates where some of our members source their version of 'truth'.

Edited March 27, 2017 by simple1

[thai3]

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

Another video sourcing a known extreme far right propagandist.

 

Again demonstrates where some of our members source their version of 'truth'.

Why is it always 'far right' just because you do not agree with it? David just happens to be a Christian with a couple of handicapped kids who is opposed to Islam, that does not make him far right, more like dead right.

Edited March 28, 2017 by thai3

[simple1]

30 minutes ago, thai3 said:

Was it it always 'far right' just because you do not agree with it? David just happens to be a Christian with a couple of handicapped kids who is opposed to Islam, that does not make him far right, more like dead right.

What!!! you admire this guy? The guy is a weirdo to the Nth degree. e.g...

 

http://www.loonwatch.com/2010/06/exposing-david-wood-of-mosques-and-men-pt-1/

 

If you & others support this idiocy, so be it.

Edited March 28, 2017 by simple1

[thai3]

He quotes very often from the Koran, that is the only idiocy in his films, calling him far right and a nutcase is not an argument

 

 

Edited March 28, 2017 by thai3

[simple1]

14 minutes ago, thai3 said:

He quotes very often from the Koran, that is the only idiocy in his films, calling him far right and a nutcase is not an argument. <snip the BS>

Again confirming your sources of 'truth' originate from right wing extremist interpretation. People with your beliefs are just as damaging to the stability of our societies as the Islamist propaganda. Concerns which has been repeatedly advised by professional security sources.

[stander]

Our intelligence agencies are keeping terror at bay. https://capx.co/our-intelligence-agencies-are-keeping-terror-at-bay/?omhide=true

[vogie]

8 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Again confirming your sources of 'truth' originate from right wing extremist interpretation. People with your beliefs are just as damaging to the stability of our societies as the Islamist propaganda. Concerns which has been repeatedly advised by professional security sources.

And people with your beliefs that come across as very naive.

Edited March 28, 2017 by vogie

[thai3]

6 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Again confirming your sources of 'truth' originate from right wing extremist interpretation. People with your beliefs are just as damaging to the stability of our societies as the Islamist propaganda. Concerns which has been repeatedly advised by professional security sources.

As he quotes all the time from the koran and hadith are you saying that is not truth and right wing then. The Islamic scriptures are what is damaging societies and causing division and instability, and of course attacks like we saw last week. Islam is not a religion of peace and that is the fault of Mohamand spreading his message by terror, and his followers today holding that up as an example of right behaviour

[i claudius]

4 hours ago, simple1 said:

Before commenting on 'safe countries' it would be a good idea to understand the accepted definition under international Convention.

You love em all so much let them come and live next door to you in Australia , oh i forgot you lot stuff em onto an island 

[Sheryl]

The 2 party flamefest is officially over

 

 

Any continuation and both parties will find themselves with a posting holiday

 

Participating in a thread like  this -- or for that matter pretty much any thread in the News forums -- means having to deal with posts you disagree with.  Those who find thisi mpossible to do politely, would do better not to post. No one has ever changed anyone else's mind through anger and sarcasm or insults.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/26/2017 at 8:27 AM, A1Str8 said:

He was a small time criminal and behind the whole facade there is always a government that makes these things possible to put fear in people. 

The media always forgets to finish the sentence. Only mentions the fall guy but never talks about the dudes who pull the strings. Why??? 

Perhaps because the media is owned by the establishment.

Whatever, the spin is in- he's a criminal, so no need to worry about more jihadists sitting in their bedsits planning a copy cat incident.

[simple1]

1 hour ago, i claudius said:

You love em all so much let them come and live next door to you in Australia , oh i forgot you lot stuff em onto an island 

Off topic. However, obviously no idea of the facts concerning Oz government refugee / asylum seeker policy

[dick dasterdly]

In other words, he was a lone nutter who had for some reason developed a grudge into a determination to carry out a suicide attack.

 

It would be interesting to know where he had been prior to converting to the Islamic faith.  Prison?

[simple1]

16 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

In other words, he was a lone nutter who had for some reason developed a grudge into a determination to carry out a suicide attack.

 

It would be interesting to know where he had been prior to converting to the Islamic faith.  Prison?

Yes, but after prison travelled three times to KSA, twice as an English teacher & once for the Haj. It is reported Saudi security are looking into his activities whilst in the country.

[geriatrickid]

On 24 March, 2017 at 11:47 AM, Krataiboy said:

I share your sentiments in regard to the victims of this appalling attack, but one should really rush to judgement about the man or his motivations.  To do so is to play into the hands of the anti-Islam lobby and leaders who are using the so-called war on terror to impose ever greater surveillance, control and loss on liberty on people across the West.

 

The ludicrous statement from Teresa May this this was an act of terror designed to "silence our democracy", without any evidence to support such as statement, and the hysterical coverage by the mass media shows how gripped by mindless paranoia the West and increasingly dumbed-down public is becoming.

 

If anybody wants to know about real terrorism they ask some of the refugees who have poured into Europe from, Iraqi, Syria and other areas of the world where the US and its allies have hired fundamentalist thugs such as Al Qaeda and IS to do their dirty work.

The statement was not ludicrous, nor without evidence. 

What is ludicrous is your insistence there was no evidence. Your are either delusional or so distressed that your political constructs have disintegrated that you must invent imaginary facts. The man was associated with islamic fundamentalists. Do you think he was exchanging biscuit recipes?

 

More ludicrous, and idiotic is the  claim that the  "US and its allies have hired fundamentalists thugs such as IS and Al Qaeda". You lie and have intentionally posted a statement that you CANNOT substantiate. Are you so desperate to keep your political bias that you of blame the victims?

People like you have also claimed that 9/11 was a false flag operation staged by the USA, or that Israel was behind it.  It is offensive and an outright falsehood. It is also perpetuated to distract from the responsible parties who have long supported terrorism; Russia, Iran, Syria, Qatar, Pakistan and fundamentalists throughout the arab world.  They rely on pliable people like you to cover up and excuse their crimes.

[7by7]

London attack: Who was Khalid Masood?

 

I don't know if this will play outside the UK:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08lzmh3/panorama-westminster-terror-attack

 

 

Edited March 28, 2017 by 7by7