London Bridge attacker was an ex-convict —Police

The man who carried out Friday’s stabbing attack at London Bridge was a former prisoner convicted of terrorism offences.

The attacker, named by police as 28-year-old Usman Khan, was out of prison on licence at the time of the attack, in which a man and a woman were killed and three others were injured, the BBC reports.

Khan was shot dead by officers after members of the public restrained him.

The Queen said she was “saddened” by the attack.

She thanked the emergency services “as well as the brave individuals who put their own lives at risk to selflessly help and protect others.”

Police declared the attack a terrorist incident.

Read also: Hong Kong police discover 4,000 petrol bombs after 2-day search on university campus

Khan was known to the authorities, having been convicted for terrorism offences in 2012. He was released from prison on licence in December 2018, Met Police Assistant Commissioner, Neil Basu, said.

The Parole Board said it had no involvement in the 28-year-old’s release, saying he “appears to have been released automatically on licence (as required by law).”

The Times reported that Khan’s release came after he agreed to wear an electronic tag and have his movements monitored.

The attack began at 13:58 GMT on Friday at Fishmongers’ Hall, at the north end of London Bridge, where a Cambridge University conference on prisoner rehabilitation – called Learning Together – was taking place.

The suspect had been attending the event, where dozens of people – including students and former prisoners – were present.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now