{UAH} London attack: Khalid Masood identified as killer

London attack: Khalid Masood identified as killer

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Image copyrightAP

Image captionKhalid Masood was shot at the scene of the Westminster attack

The man believed to have carried out the attack in Westminster has been named by police as Khalid Masood.

Kent-born Masood, who was shot dead in the attack, was not the subject of any current police investigations, but had a range of previous convictions.

The 52-year-old was believed to have been living in the West Midlands.

The so-called Islamic State group has said it was behind the attack, in which PC Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade and US tourist Kurt Cochran were killed.

Eight arrests - three women and five men - were made in London and Birmingham on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts following Wednesday's attack.

• A woman aged 39 was arrested in east London
• A 21-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man were arrested in Birmingham
• A 26-year-old woman and three men aged 28, 27 and 26 were arrested at another address in Birmingham
• A man aged 58 was also arrested at a separate address in Birmingham

The Met Police says detectives are continuing to search a number of addresses, including one in Carmarthenshire, three in Birmingham and one in east London. Addresses in Brighton and south-east London have also been searched out.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has told those gathered for a candlelit vigil in Trafalgar Square in central London that terrorists "will not win".

"We are all connected and today we showed that by coming together, by going to work, by getting about our normal business, because the terrorists will not defeat us. We will defeat them," she said.

• Live coverage
• What we know about attacker Khalid Masood
• London attack killed US man, injured wife
• More stories on the attack and aftermath
• Victims of the Westminster terror attack
• The heroes who rushed to help

Masood drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing his car into railings and then running into the grounds of Parliament, armed with a knife.

He stabbed PC Palmer before being shot dead by police.

Car hired by 'teacher'

The Metropolitan Police said there had been no prior intelligence about Masood's intention to carry out an attack.

But he was known to the police and his previous convictions included causing grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences.

His first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last in December 2003 for possession of a knife.

He had not been convicted of any terrorism offences.

Car hire company Enterprise said the vehicle used in the attack had been rented from its Spring Hill depot in Birmingham.

The BBC understands Masood had hired the Hyundai SUV in person, giving his profession as a teacher.

Image caption(From left) PC Keith Palmer, Kurt Cochran and Aysha Frade all died in the attack

PC Palmer, who was stabbed in the grounds of Parliament, was a 48-year-old father.

He was an unarmed member of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection squad, with 15 years' service.

His family said in a statement that he would be remembered as a "wonderful dad and husband".

They also described him as "a loving son, brother and uncle. A long-time supporter of Charlton FC. Dedicated to his job and proud to be a police officer, brave and courageous. A friend to everyone who knew him.

"He will be deeply missed. We love him so much.

"His friends and family are shocked and devastated by his loss and ask that they are left to grieve alone in peace."

Image copyrightCHARLTON ATHLETIC FC

Image captionCharlton Athletic paid tribute to PC Palmer by placing a scarf on his season ticket seat

A JustGiving page set up for the family of PC Palmer reached its target of £100,000 on Thursday afternoon, less than 24 hours after it had been set up.

More than £200,000 has been donated so far and that target has since been raised twice, to its current figure of £250,000.

The Met said that as a mark of respect, the constable's shoulder number, 4157U, would be retired and not reissued to any other officer.

Mrs Frade worked at a London college, while Mr Cochran, 54, was from Utah, in the US, and had been visiting the capital with his wife Melissa, who is in hospital with serious injuries.

According to a family statement, the couple had been celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and were due to return to the US on Thursday.

Mrs Frade and Mr Cochran were killed on Westminster Bridge.

In other developments:

• The Queen said her "thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathy" were with those affected by the "awful violence"
• MPs held a minute's silence before Parliament continued business as normal
• Prime Minister Theresa May spent 40 minutes visiting the injured in hospital
• People worried about family and friends can call the police casualty bureau on: 0800 056 0944 or 0207 158 0010. Anyone with images or footage of the incident can send them to ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk

King's College Hospital said two patients it had treated had been discharged, but that it was still treating another two who were in a critical condition, and four more who were stable.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital said it received 13 people, of which eight have been discharged.

A total of about 40 people had been treated in hospital, police said.

A Romanian couple injured in the attack have been identified as Andrei Burnaz and Andreea Cristea. The Romanian embassy in London has confirmed that Ms Cristea is the person who fell from Westminster Bridge during the attack.

In the Commons on Thursday, Mrs May paid tribute to PC Palmer saying: "He was every inch a hero and his actions will never be forgotten."

She told MPs: "We will never waver in the face of terrorism."

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Media captionMr Cleverly fought back tears as he spoke about his friend Keith Palmer

An emotional James Cleverly MP asked Mrs May to consider recognising posthumously the "gallantry and sacrifice" made by PC Palmer, whom he had known from his time in the Army.

Mrs Frade worked at a London sixth-form college, just a few hundred metres from Westminster Bridge.

The principal at DLD College, Rachel Borland, said she was "highly regarded and loved by our students and by her colleagues".

• Theresa May says 'we'll never waver'
• What we know so far
• Eyewitness accounts
• In pictures: The scene in Westminster
• London commuters: You just keep going
• French minister meets London victims

The casualties included 12 Britons, three French children -who have since returned home - two Romanians, four South Koreans, one German, one Pole, one Irish, one Chinese, one Italian, one American and two Greeks.

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