WAS HE SPOOKED?
Westminster attack suspect friends claim he ‘ISN’T a terrorist and was spooked by ambulance sirens’ as brother says he was visiting next week
FRIENDS of the Westminster attack suspect claim he "ISN'T a terrorist and was spooked by ambulance sirens" as his brother says he was due to visit him in Sudan next week.
Salih Khater is being grilled by terror cops after a car sped through lights smashing down cyclists before crashing into barriers outside Parliament yesterday.
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The Sudan-Born British national can be held until Monday after he was re-arrested today on suspicion of attempted murder after the suspected attack.
But friends of his claim he is not a terrorist and that the harrowing smash was just an accident.
Ahrha Thomas, like Khater from Birmingham, said: "It was an accident just like anyone would have.
"He was a good person. He just lost control. I know this guy, he went to the embassy to get his visa to go to Sudan.
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"There were two ambulances behind him trying to pass and he tried to get out the way and lost control."
His brother has also claimed Khater was a "normal person" who had no terrorist tendencies.
He that his family was in a state of amazement at being accused of terrorism.
"He called us by telephone and told us he wanted our product after his years in Britain and spent Eid vacation with us and compensated for the years he missed Sudan," he said.
This is what we know so far...
- A silver Ford Fiesta crashed into anti-terror barriers outside the Houses of Parliament at 7.37am mowing down pedestrians and cyclists
- Three people were hurt - including a man and a woman who were taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries who have since been discharged
- The 29-year-old driver, named by locals as Brit national Salih Khater, originally from Sudan, has been arrested on suspicion of terror offences and attempted murder
- The suspect left Birmingham late on Monday night and drove around London for several hours before the rampage
- Terror cops have carried out raids at two addresses in Birmingham, including the suspect's home, and one in Nottingham as part of their investigation
- Experts are investigating whether it was a copycat of the previous Westminster attack in March last year
- Extra cops will now be stationed at key transport hubs across the country
- Theresa May praised medics and police for their quick response to the "attack"
Moment suspect drives a car into a Parliament barrier in Westminister
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The brother added that Khater had got British citizenship and decided to visit his family last minute.
Despite the claims, police are still holding the man under the Terrorist Act after the chilling incident, which senior cops yesterday said "appeared deliberate."
Police also added Khater was not co-operating with officers during questioning, as they investigated the suspected terror attack.
It was revealed by cops he had left the West Midlands late on Monday night and spent hours stalking the streets of central London before mowing down 15 cyclists and trying to ram his way into Parliament at 50mph.
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Armed police arrest a man after car crashed into security barriers outside Parliament
But Ali Mohammed, a community leader from the Sudanese community in Birmingham, claimed Khater travelled to London for a meeting at the Sudanese embassy.
He said: “He was trying to apply for a visa at the Sudanese embassy to go back to Sudan. He went the night before. We presume he spent time in his car travelling around to wait for the morning to go to the embassy."
Nassar Mahmood, trustee of The Birmingham Central Mosque, near Khater's flat which is being searched by police, also said it was thought he had gone to bid for a visa.
He said: "He was trying to apply for a visa through the Sudanese embassy to go to Sudan. I don't think he got to that stage."
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Earlier today it was revealed the 29-year-old terror suspect is a "shy" Celine Dion-loving British national whose dad and brother recently died, reports claim.
Details have now begin to emerge about the suspect, who describes himself on Facebook as a shop manager who studied at the Sudan University of Science and Technology.
He also studied accountancy at Coventry University between September 2017 and May 2018, the university confirmed today.
It was reported Khater had dreams about being a pharmacist but failed part of his course at South & City College in Digbeth because his English was too poor.
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Anti-terrorism police had searched a flat at Brinklow Towers, another flat above the Bunna Internet Cafe, off Stratford Road, and an as-yet-unnamed third location in the city.
It was also confirmed this afternoon that an investigation into a house in Nottingham linked to the attack has ended.
The owner of Bunna Internet Cafe claimed Khater - who studied at Coventry University - had lived there for nine months and moved out four months ago.
Ahmed Abdi said: “He used to smoke shisha upstairs. He always used to stay behind after lock down at midnight. Every night he was smoking shish upstairs.
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“It’s very shocking and I’d never expect he’d do this. He was just a normal guy.”
Experts are investigating whether the attack was a copycat of the previous Westminster attack in March last year that killed five people.
Khater grew up in the rural town of Wad Madani where his parents were sorghum farmers.
He came to the UK around five years ago and recently lost his dad and brother within months of each other, it is understood.
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Counter terrorism police officers search Stratford Road address in Sparkbrook after car crash outside House of Parliament
Khater was also reportedly being investigated over "irregularities" in his British citizenship in the days leading up to the attack, claims, but the Home Office refused to comment.
He appears to have become a lover of Western music and football and recent posts include pictures of a Sudanese mosque and desert scenes.
His Facebook profile includes videos from pop stars Celine Dion, Eminem and Rihanna - including Canadian Celine singing Because You Loved Me in Memphis.
Khater also supported Al-Merrikh SC - based in Omdurman, Sudan - and was seen wearing an Aston Villa shirt while living in Birmingham.
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Childhood pal Abubakr Ibrahim, 30, told the Sun Online: “He’s a good man. The last time I met him was about six years ago. He’s a graduate in electrical engineering at Sudan University.
"He’s very kind, he’s no terrorist, he’s a really kind man. When I heard [what had happened] I was surprised. I really can’t believe my friend would do that, even cannibals wouldn’t do [something like] that.
“He’s a very good man and he has no idea about terrorism."
He explained Khater had moved from his family - including two brothers and a sister - in Sudan around eight years ago.
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Worried friends had asked about his well-being on Facebook in 2011 after he went silent.
Khater later wrote: "Everybody had idea to say something and i will promise i will not disappear again and i will to be close to all my friend and i apologise for that thing."
Terror cops yesterday raided two addresses in Birmingham, including the suspect's last known address, and a house in the Radford area of Nottingham.
He had been living above an internet cafe in Sparkhill until around four months ago, which is ten minutes from the former home of Westminster Bridge attacker Khalid Masood.
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Abrha Tomas, 35, said: "Everybody knows him. I knew this guy. He's a good person. I've known him for about six or seven years.
"I don't know where he lives. We played pool together.
"I don't think it was terrorism. He's not that kind of person."
Did you study at Coventry University with Salih Khater? Call Sun Online on 0207 782 4383 or email [email protected]
Neighbours in Radford, Nottingham, said plain-clothed police officers forced their way into a three-storey house with a battering ram at about 3pm, shouting: "Police!"
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An occupant of the house, who asked not to be named, said six Sudanese men had lived there for the past 12 months.
It comes as horrified witnesses described the terror of seeing the car "driving towards Parliament at speed"; before hearing a "loud bang" as it smashed into black steel barriers.
Two uniformed cops on guard dived for cover as the front of the Fiesta crumpled on impact with smoke billowing from its engine.
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A man and a woman were taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries and have since been discharged, while another man was treated at the scene.
A builder said: “There were ten to 15 cyclists and he went through them. He kept driving on and smashed into the gates.
“There were about three or four cyclists left on the floor. There were people chasing after him.”
Did YOU witness the crash? Contact us and send us your pictures: [email protected] or 02077824383
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Fearless cyclist's very British response after he chased down Westminster terror suspect
The Met’s Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: “Our priority is to formally identify the suspect and establish his motivations if we can. He is not currently cooperating.”
He said the driver was not known to counter-terror police, but he added: “Given this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident.”
Chilling CCTV saw the Fiesta on the one-way system at Parliament Square before suddenly lurching left on to the wrong side of the road.
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SUN SAYS
FOR the second time in 18 months terror has come to Westminster.
Again, it is the bravery of our emergency services which stands out above all.
To run towards a car, not knowing what or who was in it, takes extra- ordinary bravery. It is courage that we have become used to but that we should never take for granted.
There will be hard questions asked over the coming days. It is too early to tell how and why this man came to commit his crime, or why the security services were not able to prevent it.
But more broadly, it is a reminder of the threat that stalks our streets. We cannot forget last year’s carnage, from London Bridge to Manchester, which saw families ripped apart and promising lives cut short.
The Government must not let terrorism slip to the back of the queue, no matter how thorny other political issues are. It remains a clear and present danger. The news that there have been 17 foiled plots since last March is terrifying.
Theresa May must give our intelligence services all the support they need — including greater powers to investigate social media.
Terrorists are desperate to divide us. They’ll never triumph.
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A search of the silver Fiesta, originally registered in Nottingham in 2010, found no weapons.
It has now emerged the car was written off by an insurance company last autumn and failed its MOT in May because of a faulty steering wheel - but was back on the road and sold two months ago.
Officers ask anyone who may have seen the silver Ford Fiesta, registration number FL10 CWZ, or the driver in the London area in the hours before the attack to get in touch.
Anyone with footage or images is also urged to reach out to police to help with their investigation.
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Cyclist treated by emergency services after car drives into Houses of Parliament security banner
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MOST READ IN NEWS
The attack sparked memories of the terrorist atrocity in March 2017 in which Khalid Masood, 52, killed five in Westminster, including PC Keith Palmer.
The attack by Masood — who was shot dead by police — was followed by terror atrocities in Manchester and London Bridge which killed 30.
Masood lives just a ten minute drive from Khater in a Birmingham suburb branded a breeding ground for terrorists.
Sparkhill has been home to one in ten British extremists jailed over terror plots - including Mohamed Abrini, who collected funds from the area before carrying out attacks in Paris and Brussels.
Security at Parliament will be reviewed following the latest attack and the police presence around historic sites, rail stations and crowded areas is expected to be stepped up across the UK.
Armed police swoop after car crashes into barriers outside Houses of Parliament
HIGH ALERT: The terror attack that put Westminster on lockdown just 18 months ago
Westminster has been put on high alert before, with Tuesday's crash outside Parliament barely 18 months since the terror attack that gripped the capital.
Five people were killed and more than 50 people were injured when Kent-born terrorist Khalid Masood mowed pedestrians down along Westminster Bridge in March last year.
The 52-year-old then crashed his car into the gates of Parliament, running into the compound with two blades when he fatally stabbed police officer Keith Palmer.
Mum-of-two Aysha Frade, American tourist Kurt Cochran and 75-year-old Leslie Rhodes were all murdered by the evil terrorist.
during the terror attack.
Terrorist Masood was shot by police, later dying in hospital.
Scotland Yard said Masood was a violent criminal convicted of multiple offences spanning 20 years.
But they confirmed Masood was not the subject of any current investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack.
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