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London Police Make ‘Significant’ Arrests in Attack Inquiry In London Attack Inquiry, Police Make ‘Significant’ Arrests
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — The police on Friday announced two “significant” arrests in connection with the attack outside the British Parliament this week, as they sought to unravel the murky past of the 52-year-old assailant, who they said was born Adrian Russell Ajao.LONDON — The police on Friday announced two “significant” arrests in connection with the attack outside the British Parliament this week, as they sought to unravel the murky past of the 52-year-old assailant, who they said was born Adrian Russell Ajao.
Mark Rowley, assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said that nine people were in custody and being questioned as part of the investigation into the assailant, identified on Thursday by another name he used, Khalid Masood.Mark Rowley, assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said that nine people were in custody and being questioned as part of the investigation into the assailant, identified on Thursday by another name he used, Khalid Masood.
The assistant commissioner said the death toll from the attack had risen to four with the death overnight of Leslie Rhodes, 75, from the Streatham area of South London. The victims included at least 50 wounded and came from around the world, a “pointed reminder” Mr. Rowley said, of the global reach of the assault. The assistant commissioner said the toll of fatalities from the attack had risen to four with the death overnight of Leslie Rhodes, 75, from the Streatham area of South London. The victims included at least 50 wounded and came from around the world, a “pointed reminder” Mr. Rowley said, of the global reach of the assault.
Mr. Rowley described the investigation as large and fast-paced, and he said the police were focusing on several questions regarding Mr. Masood, who had a criminal record but had never been convicted of terrorism: What led him to be radicalized? Had he acted alone? Did he receive direction from a source at home or overseas? Mr. Rowley said the police were focusing on several questions regarding Mr. Masood, who had a criminal record but had never been convicted of terrorism: What led him to be radicalized? Had he acted alone? Did he receive direction from a source at home or overseas?
On Thursday, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, but the extent of the militant group’s connections to the assailant were unclear. Mr. Masood, who was widely identified in British news reports late Thursday by another name, Adrian Elms, threw the heart of the capital into chaos on Wednesday when he drove a sport utility vehicle into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and then killed a police officer with a knife outside the Parliament complex.On Thursday, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, but the extent of the militant group’s connections to the assailant were unclear. Mr. Masood, who was widely identified in British news reports late Thursday by another name, Adrian Elms, threw the heart of the capital into chaos on Wednesday when he drove a sport utility vehicle into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and then killed a police officer with a knife outside the Parliament complex.
The assistant commissioner emphasized that there was no evidence of further security threats, adding that the counterterrorism operation was large and moving quickly, with hundreds of officers mobilized. Mr. Rowley emphasized that there was no evidence of further security threats, adding that the counterterrorism operation was large and moving quickly, with hundreds of officers mobilized.
The police were searching five addresses, had concluded 16 searches and were sifting through 2,700 seized items, including huge amounts of computer data and video footage taken by passers-by on Westminster Bridge at the time of the attack, Mr. Rowley said. The police were searching five addresses, had concluded 16 searches and were sifting through 2,700 seized items, including huge amounts of computer data, and video footage taken by passers-by on Westminster Bridge at the time of the attack, Mr. Rowley said.
One person was arrested overnight in the West Midlands region of England, where several people had been detained earlier, and a second was taken into custody in the northwest of the country. Another individual was released. One person was arrested overnight in the West Midlands region of England, where several people had been detained earlier, and a second was taken into custody in the northwest of the country, he said. Another individual was released.
The authorities did not immediately reveal information about Mr. Masood, and Mr. Rowley thanked the news organizations that had delayed publishing details about the assailant in order to give investigators more time to pursue leads. The authorities had held off releasing information about Mr. Masood, and Mr. Rowley thanked the news organizations that had delayed publishing details about the assailant in order to give investigators more time to pursue leads.
At first glance, the police said, Mr. Masood, who was born on Dec. 25, 1964, in Kent, in southeastern England, appeared to share several characteristics with recent Islamist radicals who staged attacks in Berlin and in Nice, France, using vehicles to mow people down. At first glance, the police said, Mr. Masood, who was born on Dec. 25, 1964, in the Kent area of southeastern England, appeared to share several characteristics with recent Islamist radicals who staged attacks in Berlin and in Nice, France, using vehicles to mow people down.
But they also pointed to striking differences, including the age and profile of the London assailant: He was 52, married, and known to his neighbors as a quiet man who often mowed the lawn.But they also pointed to striking differences, including the age and profile of the London assailant: He was 52, married, and known to his neighbors as a quiet man who often mowed the lawn.
Mr. Rowley reiterated comments from Prime Minister Theresa May, saying that the authorities had viewed Mr. Masood as a “peripheral figure” and that he had not been part of the general intelligence picture. In an interview with Sky News, Sabeur Toumi, who was identified as the owner of the Preston Park Hotel in Brighton, said that Mr. Masood had spent his final night at the establishment, staying in room 228. Mr. Toumi described Mr. Masood as a returning guest who was “very friendly, laughing and joking.”
“My staff is very upset at the moment,” Mr. Toumi added. “It is very shocking because these days you don’t know who is the bad ones and the good ones.”
Mr. Rowley, the assistant commissioner, reiterated comments from Prime Minister Theresa May, saying that the authorities had viewed Mr. Masood as a “peripheral figure” and that he had not been part of the general intelligence picture.
In Britain, MI5, the domestic security service, has more than 3,000 subjects of interest and only the most serious cases are closely monitored as potential terrorist threats. News reports said that Mr. Masood had not been one of those subjects.In Britain, MI5, the domestic security service, has more than 3,000 subjects of interest and only the most serious cases are closely monitored as potential terrorist threats. News reports said that Mr. Masood had not been one of those subjects.
Mr. Rowley emphasized several times that the police were appealing to the public for information about Mr. Masood, saying officers wanted to shed more light on his past and his associates. Mr. Rowley emphasized several times that the police were appealing to the public for information about Mr. Masood, saying officers wanted to shed more light on his past and on his associates.
Amid calls by members of Parliament to bolster security outside the Houses of Parliament, Mr. Rowley said that the police were reviewing measures to balance safety concerns with the desire to maintain access to the center of Britain’s democracy. Some lawmakers called for stronger security outside the Houses of Parliament, considering that the lightly-armed attacker had managed to penetrate the perimeter of the complex, pass through a main gateway and kill a police officer. Mr. Rowley said that the police were reviewing measures to balance safety concerns with the desire to maintain access to the center of Britain’s democracy.
Mr. Rowley said that the number of armed officers in London would be nearly doubled, and that the police presence would also be significantly increased elsewhere in the country.Mr. Rowley said that the number of armed officers in London would be nearly doubled, and that the police presence would also be significantly increased elsewhere in the country.
Thousands attended a vigil Thursday night in Trafalgar Square, not far from the scene of the attacks, and Mr. Rowley said it had sent a message that Britain would not give in to hate and fear. The tabloid The Sun published video footage of the moment Mrs. May was rushed from the building, and said it showed the prime minister briefly losing her bearings and walking the wrong way as her security detail guided her.
“The very fact that London has gone back to work today shows they failed,” he said. There is a growing debate about the role of social media companies in disseminating material that could be used for radicalization, with the British foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, arguing that more could be done by internet service providers and online platforms to prevent the spread of such material.
Thousands attended a vigil Thursday night in Trafalgar Square, not far from the scene of the attack, and Mr. Rowley said it had sent a message that Britain would not give in to hate and fear.
“The very fact that London has gone back to work today shows they failed,” he said, referring to terrorists’ efforts.