-Michael “Mujihad” Adeboloja Was Under Govt. Investigations
ONE of the attackers who allegedly killed an off-duty soldier has been identified as officials say
both suspects had featured in previous investigations by security services.
People were quick to identify British-born Michael “Mujihad” Adeboloja as one of the two men accused of killing the soldier who was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt.
A British government official said both suspects were part of previous security services investigations for possible terror links.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak about the investigation, said he could not provide other details because the suspects may face trial. Investigations by Britain’s domestic security service, MI5, can include undercover surveillance, phone tapping and communications intercepts.
Police in the county of Lincolnshire in eastern England said a property was being searched in connection to the attack in Woolwich. Police said a search warrant had been obtained but would not provide details about the search. Police were also scouring the attack site for further clues.
Wielding knives including a meat cleaver, two men attacked the off-duty soldier in broad daylight near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast London. He was hacked to death before the men then delivered an Islamist tirade to passers-by who confronted the men before police arrived.
In response to the attack, thousands of people reached out to the Help for Heroes charity to donate money. However its website crashed for hours, unable to cope with the increased traffic.
On Twitter Abu Nusaybah said the suspect who has been named as Michael Adeboloja was his friend.
“I am absolutely shocked,” he wrote.
“I grew up with him.
“I haven’t seen pictures of other ‘suspect’ so I don’t know him – Too much blood being shed around the world we all need to change.
“I don’t (want the) media to twist my silence as I knew him, but I didn’t know about this issue or his activities … “
deboloja’s schoolmates said he was a “gangster wannabe” who came from a strictly Christian family.
Students from Marshalls Park School in Harold Hill, in London’s east, yesterday told News Limited they were shocked after seeing video of Michael Adeboloja, 28, ranting at the camera with bloodied hands after butchering a man on the street.
“I was in his brother’s class all the way through school and had been round their house,” classmate Simon Collings, 25, said.
“His family were very Christian, him and his siblings are all religiously named. His brother (is) Jeremiah and his sisters (are) Blessing and Christiana.”
Mr Collings said Abeboloja, a British citizen of Nigerian descent, had never shown signs of the violence which was to come during his five years at school.
“He was a clever guy, and had lots of friends,” he said. “He wasn’t the loudest of characters but he wasn’t quiet either.”
“If anything he saw himself as a bit of a gangster wannabe.”
Adeboloja became interested in Islam around the age of 15 or 16 and formally converted, taking the Muslim name “Mujahid,” or “one who fights Jihad” around 2003. His family is believed to have moved from their home in nearby Romford after becoming concerned about his increasingly bizarre behaviour.
They said they thought he later went on to study at University of Greenwich.
“I would never have imagined him being a religious fanatical. When they showed him on the news I instantly recognised him,” Mr Collings said. “I got in last night and my mum said that people on Facebook were saying one of the killers went to my school.”
“Then when they showed him on the news I instantly recognised him.”
Fellow schoolmate Dan Meech said he had known Adeboloja, who was affectionately known as “Narn”, for years.
“I grew up with him for years through juniors outside football leagues and seniors,” he said. “He was in my form and my mate. This really makes no sense,” he said.
Another friend Darren Marsh said: “He was always a good guy at school do anything for anyone but how time and religion can change a individual its just sickening.”
“To have known someone that turn into a monster and this publicly is what he wanted as you can tell from his actions to the cameras.”
James Smith, who also attended Marshalls Park School in Romford, shared his shock on Facebook.
“I’m not sure I quite believe this. The guy who killed the soldier in Woolwich earlier I think went to my school….I sat next to him in Sociology at College!!!! I’m trying not to jump to conclusions but it seems to be backed up by others from Marshalls/Havering 6th form….I guess we’re all in shock, what the f*** happened there man…..”
Mr Smith later told news.com.au that Michael “Mujihad” Adeboloja was a “normal guy”.
“I don’t want to offer up much information I’m afraid as I don’t feel it’s my place. I feel for his family who to the best of my knowledge were devout Christians and I can’t believe what he’s turned into,” he said.
“All I will say is he was a normal guy growing up. I heard he converted to Islam and changed his name as a result shortly after college but then he went off the radar.
“Everyone from my school year is so shocked.”
The suspects were later shot by police after the gruesome attack and are now in hospital under armed guard.
Scotland Yard has hit back after questions were raised about how long it took officers to reach the scene after reports of a man being butchered on a street in southeast London.
Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne said that officers reached Artillery Place within nine minutes of the first 999 call telling them a man was being attacked.
It took 10 minutes for firearms officers to reach the scene after they were alerted to the presence of a gun.
Julia Wilders, 51, who lives near the scene, said she and her husband saw the victim being attacked, and then around 20 minutes later one of the attackers clutching two meat cleavers and charging at the police as they pulled up in a car.
Conservative MP Robert Buckland told the Daily Telegraph it would be “very worrying” if armed officers had taken 20 minutes to arrive.
News of one of the suspect’s identity, came just after police raided several properties in Greenwich, Lincolnshire and Essex in relation with the brutal attack.
Mr Nusaybah’s Twitter account says that he is a “Muslim striving as best as he can to Worship Allaah correctly and to die upon that Inshallaah”.
He said Adeboloja is a “revert born Christian British citizen”.
“He reverted 4 months after I started practising, in 2003 – generally didn’t go to a lot mosques becoz critics of Gov & War would be,” he tweeted.
Adeboloja, who is of Nigerian descent, allegedly answers to his Muslim name “Mujahid” or “one who fights Jihad”.
He reportedly attended Marshalls Park School and Performing Arts College in Romford, UK.
Demola Ojo @DemolaOjo tweeted that he also knows the attacker: “@ogundamisi I saw the video and I thought he looked familiar, then I looked again. Yep, I know this dude in Romford,” he posted.
- Courtesy: news.com.au