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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/01/finsbury-park-van-attacker-darren-osborne-found-guilty-murder-makram-ali
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Finsbury Park attacker found guilty of murder | Finsbury Park attacker found guilty of murder |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Darren Osborne, who drove van into Muslims outside mosque, convicted of terrorist attack that killed Makram Ali | Darren Osborne, who drove van into Muslims outside mosque, convicted of terrorist attack that killed Makram Ali |
| Vikram Dodd and | Vikram Dodd and |
| Kevin Rawlinson | Kevin Rawlinson |
| Thu 1 Feb 2018 15.52 GMT | Thu 1 Feb 2018 15.52 GMT |
| Last modified on Thu 1 Feb 2018 18.17 GMT | |
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| A man has been convicted of murder and attempted murder after driving a van into a group of Muslims near a north London mosque in a terrorist attack. | A man has been convicted of murder and attempted murder after driving a van into a group of Muslims near a north London mosque in a terrorist attack. |
| A jury concluded that Darren Osborne intended to kill as many Muslims as possible and had been “brainwashed” after gorging on extremist rightwing propaganda online. | A jury concluded that Darren Osborne intended to kill as many Muslims as possible and had been “brainwashed” after gorging on extremist rightwing propaganda online. |
| The circumstances of his radicalisation led one anti-extremism organisation to warn that online hate speech was a growing problem and blame some right-wing media coverage for “propelling anti-Muslim hatred into the mainstream”. | The circumstances of his radicalisation led one anti-extremism organisation to warn that online hate speech was a growing problem and blame some right-wing media coverage for “propelling anti-Muslim hatred into the mainstream”. |
| A jury of eight women and four men took one hour to convict the father of four. Osborne, who had denied both charges, nodded in the dock as the verdict was read out but showed little emotion. He will be sentenced on Friday. | A jury of eight women and four men took one hour to convict the father of four. Osborne, who had denied both charges, nodded in the dock as the verdict was read out but showed little emotion. He will be sentenced on Friday. |
| Police believe one catalyst for his three-week spiral into terrorism was a BBC drama about a Muslim grooming gang. | Police believe one catalyst for his three-week spiral into terrorism was a BBC drama about a Muslim grooming gang. |
| The attack last June left Makram Ali, 51, dead with a tyre mark across his chest and 12 others injured after the van Osborne was driving struck people in Finsbury Park. | The attack last June left Makram Ali, 51, dead with a tyre mark across his chest and 12 others injured after the van Osborne was driving struck people in Finsbury Park. |
| Osborne, 48, was convicted after a trial at Woolwich crown court in south-east London. The case was prosecuted as a terrorist offence because Osborne’s actions were taken in order to advance a political purpose, a factor that will be taken into account when the sentence is decided. | Osborne, 48, was convicted after a trial at Woolwich crown court in south-east London. The case was prosecuted as a terrorist offence because Osborne’s actions were taken in order to advance a political purpose, a factor that will be taken into account when the sentence is decided. |
| In a defence that the prosecutor, Jonathan Rees QC, described as “absurd”, he had claimed “a guy called Dave”, who was not visible on any CCTV footage, had been driving the van while he changed his trousers in the footwell. | In a defence that the prosecutor, Jonathan Rees QC, described as “absurd”, he had claimed “a guy called Dave”, who was not visible on any CCTV footage, had been driving the van while he changed his trousers in the footwell. |
| The jury was told by the prosecution that the act was terrorism driven by Osborne’s hatred of Muslims, which his partner said had developed rapidly in the weeks before the attack, leaving him “a ticking timebomb”. | The jury was told by the prosecution that the act was terrorism driven by Osborne’s hatred of Muslims, which his partner said had developed rapidly in the weeks before the attack, leaving him “a ticking timebomb”. |
| One witness heard the van “accelerate and the noise of changing gears” as the engine revved, its impact leaving a scene of horror with a limb trapped under a wheel. | One witness heard the van “accelerate and the noise of changing gears” as the engine revved, its impact leaving a scene of horror with a limb trapped under a wheel. |
| Two minutes before the attack, Ali had become ill and fallen to the ground 100 yards from his home. It was just after 12.15am and Muslims were thronging the streets after prayers at two nearby mosques to mark the festival of Ramadan. | Two minutes before the attack, Ali had become ill and fallen to the ground 100 yards from his home. It was just after 12.15am and Muslims were thronging the streets after prayers at two nearby mosques to mark the festival of Ramadan. |
| The attack came after three Islamist terrorist attacks in London and Manchester. A note recovered from the van Osborne had driven down from Wales, where he lived, railed against Muslims, the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. | The attack came after three Islamist terrorist attacks in London and Manchester. A note recovered from the van Osborne had driven down from Wales, where he lived, railed against Muslims, the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. |
| The jury heard that after the attack, Osborne was saved by an imam, who protected him despite his attempt to run down Muslims. Osborne was seen to smile and say: “I’ve done my bit.” | The jury heard that after the attack, Osborne was saved by an imam, who protected him despite his attempt to run down Muslims. Osborne was seen to smile and say: “I’ve done my bit.” |
| Opening the case, Rees said Osborne was heard by witnesses to say: “I’ve done my job. You can kill me now.” The prosecutor said a witness claimed the attacker was “constantly smiling”. | Opening the case, Rees said Osborne was heard by witnesses to say: “I’ve done my job. You can kill me now.” The prosecutor said a witness claimed the attacker was “constantly smiling”. |
| Rees said Osborne was seen hitting out at people as he tried to escape the throng and said: “I want to kill more Muslims.” | Rees said Osborne was seen hitting out at people as he tried to escape the throng and said: “I want to kill more Muslims.” |
| Osborne’s partner, Sarah Andrews, told detectives that in the weeks before the attack, his attitude had changed after he watched Three Girls, a BBC TV drama about the Rochdale grooming scandal. | Osborne’s partner, Sarah Andrews, told detectives that in the weeks before the attack, his attitude had changed after he watched Three Girls, a BBC TV drama about the Rochdale grooming scandal. |
| Andrews said in a witness statement that Osborne had become “obsessed” with Muslims. He was an avid follower of social media postings by the former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson, as well as members of the far-right group Britain First. | Andrews said in a witness statement that Osborne had become “obsessed” with Muslims. He was an avid follower of social media postings by the former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson, as well as members of the far-right group Britain First. |
| The jury heard that the pair had watched Three Girls and, in a statement read to the court, Andrews said she believed Osborne had become angry “about seeing young girls exploited” and developed his fixation with Muslims from that point. | The jury heard that the pair had watched Three Girls and, in a statement read to the court, Andrews said she believed Osborne had become angry “about seeing young girls exploited” and developed his fixation with Muslims from that point. |
| She said Osborne “seemed brainwashed” and had been watching content posted online by Robinson, leading him to seek out more extremist material. | She said Osborne “seemed brainwashed” and had been watching content posted online by Robinson, leading him to seek out more extremist material. |
| Smartphones and computers showed Osborne had viewed material from Britain First, a group that “campaigns primarily against multiculturalism and what it sees as the Islamisisation of the UK”, Rees told the jury. | Smartphones and computers showed Osborne had viewed material from Britain First, a group that “campaigns primarily against multiculturalism and what it sees as the Islamisisation of the UK”, Rees told the jury. |
| Osborne had not worked for a decade and had mental health problems. He tried to kill himself shortly before the attack. | Osborne had not worked for a decade and had mental health problems. He tried to kill himself shortly before the attack. |
| Ali was a father of six children, four daughters and two sons, and had suffered from ill health. | Ali was a father of six children, four daughters and two sons, and had suffered from ill health. |
| The attack sent shockwaves through Muslim communities in Britain, and came as many noted increasing rhetorical attacks in the mainstream media and from politicians, alongside a rise in extreme rightwing violence. Counter-terrorism officials have also noted an increase in violent attacks. | The attack sent shockwaves through Muslim communities in Britain, and came as many noted increasing rhetorical attacks in the mainstream media and from politicians, alongside a rise in extreme rightwing violence. Counter-terrorism officials have also noted an increase in violent attacks. |
| Osborne was not known to police or MI5 for extremism before his lone-wolf attack. | Osborne was not known to police or MI5 for extremism before his lone-wolf attack. |
| His defence to the jury contradicted CCTV evidence and a statement his lawyers had submitted to the court on his behalf. | His defence to the jury contradicted CCTV evidence and a statement his lawyers had submitted to the court on his behalf. |
| He told the jury that it was “sod’s law” that CCTV had not picked up the point along the route where his supposed co-conspirator Dave had got into the vehicle, adding that he had no idea where Dave had gone in the aftermath of the attack. | He told the jury that it was “sod’s law” that CCTV had not picked up the point along the route where his supposed co-conspirator Dave had got into the vehicle, adding that he had no idea where Dave had gone in the aftermath of the attack. |
| CCTV footage shows he was the only person to leave the van after the attack, and carried out reconnaissance by foot shortly beforehand, again on his own. | CCTV footage shows he was the only person to leave the van after the attack, and carried out reconnaissance by foot shortly beforehand, again on his own. |
| He wrote the note setting out his extremist views in a Cardiff pub, where CCTV footage and witnesses confirm he was on his own. | He wrote the note setting out his extremist views in a Cardiff pub, where CCTV footage and witnesses confirm he was on his own. |
| Following Osborne’s conviction Sue Hemming, from the CPS, said: “Darren Osborne planned and carried out this attack because of his hatred of Muslims. | Following Osborne’s conviction Sue Hemming, from the CPS, said: “Darren Osborne planned and carried out this attack because of his hatred of Muslims. |
| “He later invented an unconvincing story to counter the overwhelming weight of evidence but the jury has convicted him. We have been clear throughout that this was a terrorist attack, and he must now face the consequences of his actions.” | “He later invented an unconvincing story to counter the overwhelming weight of evidence but the jury has convicted him. We have been clear throughout that this was a terrorist attack, and he must now face the consequences of his actions.” |
| The anti-extremism organisation Hope Not Hate said that the case highlighted the threat of extremist propaganda online but also raised concerns about some coverage in the mainstream. | The anti-extremism organisation Hope Not Hate said that the case highlighted the threat of extremist propaganda online but also raised concerns about some coverage in the mainstream. |
| Nick Lowles, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “This case highlights the pernicious nature and danger of online hate and sadly confirms the threat from right-wing extremism, which we have long warned about. | Nick Lowles, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “This case highlights the pernicious nature and danger of online hate and sadly confirms the threat from right-wing extremism, which we have long warned about. |
| “But it also highlights the role that far-right figures and right-wing media have played in propelling anti-Muslim hatred into the mainstream.” | “But it also highlights the role that far-right figures and right-wing media have played in propelling anti-Muslim hatred into the mainstream.” |
| Finsbury Park van attack | Finsbury Park van attack |
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| London | London |
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