London attack: police investigate terrorist Khalid Masood as death toll rises – live

By London Based editor

Thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square to remember the people killed in the London terror attack. credit: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

London, Mar 23, 2017 (Jonglei Times)-Police are working to untangle the life – and multiple names – of Khalid Masood,report Rob Booth and Nazia Parveen:

The attacker, identified by police as Khalid Masood, born in Kent, was also a violent criminal convicted of multiple offenses spanning 20 years, said Scotland Yard.

His offenses included assaults, grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offenses. He had spent time in jail but not for terrorist-related offences, according to Amber Rudd, the home secretary.

As police began to unravel his complex life it was reported that Masood had a string of aliases and was said have to been born Adrian Elms in Kent in 1964.

He appears to have lived in the south of England – mainly in East Sussex – for many years before moving a number of times to addresses in London and Birmingham.

The 52-year-old’s first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last conviction was in December 2003 for possession of a knife, said the Metropolitan police.It also emerged that Masood had been previously known to MI5 although the prime minister said he had been considered “a peripheral figure” in relation to suspected Islamist terror threats.

The state police say fourth victim has died

As a vigil was held in Trafalgar Square on Thursday evening, Scotland Yard confirmed that a fourth victim of the attack had died:

Detectives investigating the terrorist attack in Westminster on Wednesday 22 March can confirm that a 75-year-old man died at the night of Thursday 23 March.

The man had been receiving medical treatment in hospital following the attack and life support was withdrawn this evening.

Next of kin have been informed and are receiving support from specially trained family liaison officers.

The man has not been named. The other three victims have been identified as PC Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade and Kurt Cochran.

Khalid Masood, the perpetrator of the attack, also died.

Police are expected to deliver an update this morning, which could give more details on the attacker, the investigation and the arrests.

Officials have so far not confirmed widespread reports that Khalid Masood was born Adrian Elms, in Dartford, Kent, and later converted to Islam. Police had said it was highly likely that Masood was not his birth name and that he had used a number of aliases.

The victimsThe number of victims has risen to four, after a 75-year-old man died in hospital on Thursday. He had been on life support since the attack. He has not been named.

The three others killed have been identified as PC Keith Palmer, who was stabbed outside parliament; and Aysha Frade and Kurt Cochran, who died on Westminster bridge.

Four people remain in hospital in a serious condition, one with life-threatening injuries.

Westminster attack: friends and relatives remember the victims 

Kurt Cochran was an American celebrating his anniversary; Aysha Frade worked at a sixth-form college; survivor Andreea Cristea was celebrating her boyfriend’s birthday

The attacker.

Police have said that Khalid Masood was born in Kent on Christmas day 1964, and that this was not his birth name. 

Multiple reports now say he was born as Adrian Elms and converted to Islam. This name has not been confirmed.

He had a number of convictions – for assaults, grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offenses – spanning 20 years, and had spent time in jail, though not for terrorist-related offences.

Masood was previously known to MI5 was once investigated in relation to concerns about violent extremism, but was considered “a peripheral figure”, prime minister Theresa May said.

The sun reports today that Masood spent the night before the attack at the Preston Park hotel in Brighton. The Guardian has not been able to verify this.

Police unravel multiple aliases of Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood 

The 52-year-old Kent-born attacker had been convicted of violent offences and may have been a late convert to Islam.

 Eight people were arrested as a number of addresses were raided in London, Birmingham and elsewhere:

A 39-year-old woman at an address in east London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts.

A 21-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man at an address in Birmingham on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts.

A 26-year-old woman and three men aged 28, 27 and 26 at a separate address in Birmingham on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts. A 58-year-old man at a separate address in Birmingham on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts.

 

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