Khalid Masood, the 52-year-old man who attacked Britain’s Parliament on Wednesday, killing four people and wounding some 50, was named Adrian Russell Ajao at birth, London’s top counterterror officer said Friday.
Mark Rowley revealed the name in a briefing outside Scotland Yard in which he also announced two more “significant” arrests had been made. That brings the total number of people in custody related to the attack to nine.
“We remain keen to hear from anyone who knew Khalid Masood well, understands who his associates were and can provide us with information about places he has recently visited,” Rowley said.
Born in southeastern England, Masood had most recently been living in Birmingham. A British-born 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.
The latest victim died in the hospital on Thursday, bringing the death toll from his attack to four.
The car that Khalid Masood rented for the attack was rented from an Enterprise in the Birmingham area. (Eddie Keogh/Reuters)
Rowley said two police officers targeted in the attack have significant injuries. Two other people also remain in critical condition, one with life-threatening injuries.
“There might be people out there who did have concerns about Masood but did not feel comfortable for whatever reason in passing those concerns to us.”
The car Masood used in the attack had been rented from rental firm Enterprise’s Spring Hill branch in Birmingham.
Since the attack, police raided a number of addresses in the area.
Masood may have rented an apartment close to the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, not far from the Enterprise offices, which was one of the properties raided by armed officers.
“Whilst there is still no evidence of further threats, you’ll understand our determination is to find out if either he acted totally alone, inspired perhaps by terrorist propaganda, or if others have encouraged, supported or directed him,” said Rowley.
First conviction in 1983
Known by a number of aliases, he racked up a string of convictions, but none for terrorism-related offences. His occupation was unclear.
Police say there is no evidence of further attacks planned, but they are looking to find out more about Masood and whether he acted alone or was supported by anyone. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)
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.
A former neighbour from Birmingham said: “When I saw the pictures on TV and in the papers of the man who carried out the attack, I recognized him as the man who used to live next door.”
“He had a young child, who I’d think was about five or six 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.
On Thursday, ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for Masood’s attack, although it was unclear what links — if any — he had with the militant group.
Police said there had been no prior intelligence about his intent to mount an attack. And they have offered little detail about him and what might have led to the attack.
“Our working assumption is that he was inspired by international terrorism,” said Rowley.