London Bridge attacker said he wanted to be ‘good British citizen’ in letter from prison begging to be deradicalised
THE terrorist behind the savage knife attack at London Bridge yesterday penned a letter from his jail cell in 2012 begging for a deradicalisation course to become a “good British citizen.”
Usman Khan, 28, was jailed seven years ago after he and eight others were convicted of a Mumbai-style plot to blow up the London Stock Exchange.
In the letter, obtained by , Khan said he would be “grateful” of a course in which he could “properly learn Islam” so that he could prove he is a “good citizen of Britain.”
Khan was shot dead by police yesterday following the attack in which he stormed Fishmongers’ House with two large kitchen knives and a hoax suicide vest.
Cops later admitted he was “known to authorities” after being convicted in 2012 for terror offences and being freed last December.
He was jailed for eight years after police uncovered a plot by a nine-strong terror cell to bomb the London Stock Exchange and build a terrorist training camp.
KHAN'S LETTER IN FULL
Dear [redacted],
As you are fully aware of my offence, which is a terrorism offence. It relates more to what I intended and the mind set at that time, also the views I carried. Which I realise now after spending some time to think were not according to Islam and its teachings.
I would be greatful if you could arrange some kind of course, that I can also do where I can properly learn Islam and its teachings, and I can prove I don’t carry the extreme views which I might have carried before. I have been inform [sic] there are courses like this, like the Deradicalisation Course which is approved by the home office. I would like to do such a course, so I can prove to the authorities, my family and society in general that I don’t carry the views I had before my arrest and also I can prove that at the time I was immature, and now I am much more mature and want to live my life as a good Muslim abnd also a good citizen of Britain.
So if you could arrange something for me and send me the details, this would be truly appreciated.
Notorious extremist Anjem Choudary’s private mobile number was found on Khan‘s phone at the time, .
In 2013, Khan’s sentence was replaced with a 16-year-fixed term that saw him released after eight years without parole, after he agreed to wear a tag and have his movements monitored.
He was one of the al-Muhajiroun connected terrorists who were released starting in 2018 and was known to attend the group’s events such as “poppy-burning” and “dawah stalls” in the Midlands.
But following his arrest and subsequent prison sentence in 2012, Khan had begged lawyers for a second chance.
In his letter he said his “mindset” and “views” in 2012 were down to “immaturity.”
At the time of yesterday’s attack, Khan had been fitted with an electronic tag to follow his movements since he was released.
He was still out on licence when he was shot dead by armed police after carrying out the horrific attacks.
Speaking yesterday, assistant Police Comissioner Neil Basu said of Khan’s release: “He was released from prison in December 2018 on licence and clearly, a key line of enquiry now is to establish how he came to carry out this attack.”
Usman Khan was wielding two knives when he was eventually pinned down on London Bridge yesterday
