London terror attack: Khalid Masood — what we know

Khalid Masood, the man responsible for the terror attack, had a string of convictions but none were terror-related.

Attacker Khalid Masood is treated by emergency services outside the Houses of Parliament. Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP

British officials have named the London terror attacker as Khalid Masood, a 52-year-old with criminal convictions who was living in the West Midlands, which includes the central city of Birmingham.

Here is what we know so far about the attacker. London terror attack latest here.

• The Islamic State group have claimed responsibility for the attack by Masood who ploughed an SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and then stabbed a police officer to death at Britain’s Parliament. However, this has yet to be confirmed by authorities.

• Among the homes raided in Birmingham by police yesterday was one Masood lived in until just after Christmas, according to a neighbour. Iwona Romek, who said she lived for about five months two doors down from Masood.

• Kent-born Masood had a string of convictions but none for terror offences.

• Masood had a wife and a young child and appeared like a “normal family man who liked to take care of his garden,” said Ms Romek. Masood was known in the Birmingham area as someone who was keen on the gym and kept himself very fit.

• He had several aliases including the name Khalid Choudry.

• He had convictions for assault including grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences ranging from 1983 to 2003.

• British media reported he was believed to have worked as an English teacher and had given that as his occupation when he rented the car in a town outside Birmingham used in the bloody rampage. However, it is unlikely someone with criminal convictions would have been allowed to work at a school.

• British Prime Minister Theresa May said the attacker had been a “peripheral figure” investigated over concerns about violent extremism.

• Scotland Yard: “Masood was not the subject of any current investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack.”

With AP/AFP