Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood was dubbed the ‘VAMPIRE’ for stalking streets at night while dressed in black, as it’s revealed he blamed RACISM for his criminal past
KILLER Khalid Masood grew up as an English teacher called Adrian who turned to Islam after a life of violent crime sparked by racism in his village.
His rap sheet included stabbing a man in the face in a 2003 row, plus assaults, criminal damage and public order offences.
He had been "hanging out" with would-be jihadis who wanted to travel to fight abroad, a US government source told Reuters.
They said: "The people he was hanging out with did include people suspected of having an interest in travelling to join jihadi groups overseas but the attacker himself never did so."
The killer is said to have blamed racism for slashing a cafe owner across the face before he was jailed, and the converted to Islam.
He told Hove Crown Court he has snapped after being "ostracised" by villagers in Northiam, East Sussex, where he lived with his first wife and children.
He was nicknamed "the vampire" as he would stalk the streets at night, .
Neighbours said they gave him the name as he would only come out at night while wearing black.
Masood is feared to have become radicalised while working in Saudi Arabia.
Police van parked outside the terrorist's raided property in Birmingham
Yesterday his former next-door neighbours told how his face “turned to pure evil when he spoke about religion”.
Poles Anna Goras, 32 and Seb Bednarczyk, 38, said hulking Masood gave their two kids lifts back from school.
They also chatted over the fence in Winson Green, Birmingham, where Masood lived until last June.
But describing his “split personality”, Anna revealed: “His face would change in a moment and his eyes would go hard and look evil.
“He often went off about how British people didn’t bring up their kids right and sent them to poor standard schools.
“I am a Catholic and he had a go at me saying the school I sent my children to was rubbish and not as good as Muslim schools.
“On Sundays he always wore white flowing Islamic robes and I never saw his wife without a veil.
“He was also very strict and only let his children play with ours a few times.
“It’s hard to think that a man who gave me and my kids a lift home from school could have turned into a killer.
“Looking back you could see the hatred was in him because of his religion. It’s terrifying.”
Partner Seb added: “He was a big guy and you would not think he could be a threat most of the time.
“But when he spoke about being a Muslim he looked like a real hard man. When he was like that you wouldn’t cross him or argue with him about his views.”
Masood was born Adrian Russell Elms - changing his surname to that of his stepdad's.
He grew up in Erith on the Kent- London border.
In his CV sent out just weeks ago and unearthed by The Sun, he describes himself as “British”, “friendly and approachable” and a good listener.
The document claims he had a economics degree.
Masood also used his stepdad’s surname Ajao alongside Russell at the start of his career.
He began in sales and was later promoted to manager at Aaron Chemicals in Bodiam, East Sussex.
But after 12 years at the firm, Masood’s life changed dramatically when in 2004 he is understood to have married a Muslim, Farzana Malik.
What became of their marriage is unclear — or whether Masood converted to Islam at the time.
In the same year, Masood’s CV claims he gained a TESOL certificate, allowing him to teach English to foreigners.
He said he taught classes of “10-20 students”, from beginners to “intermediate” and helped train them in speaking, listening, reading, writing and English grammar.
He was also a key member of the senior staff, telling how he attended fortnightly meetings with the director of studies and other staff.
But in spring 2009, Masood returned to the UK.
After a five-month gap, he joined a TEFL college in Luton as a “senior English teacher”, supervising seven other staff.
By now his conversion to Islam was complete.
Electoral roll records reveal Adrian Elms was no more, with a Khalid Masood registered to addresses in Luton with an identical date of birth.
Masood, who claimed that he was married with two “dependent children”, had also become a gym fanatic.
He boasted of “15 years of regular training/exercise 4-5 times per week”.
In 2012, Masood chose to quit work and set up his own English language tutoring business for Arabian students, called IQRA and based in Birmingham.
He told how students aged 18-30 could receive “effective” teaching from beginner level to PhD level.
Earlier this year, Masood began to circulate his new CV.
Describing himself as “British”, he included a “professional profile”, which read: “With over ten years of TEFL teaching experience, plus extensive success in sales management, I have demonstrated an ability to explain ideas in a clear, confident and professional manner.
“Friendly and approachable, as well as being a good listener, I believe that variety, interactivity, creativity and fun are the most effective ways to classroom participation.
“Therefore, since I am enthusiastic and committed to my TEFL profession, I am now seeking a position where I can develop my career and skills to their full potential.”
Yet within weeks, he would launch the terrorist atrocity in Westminster that left four dead and more than 40 injured.
Mum Janet Ajao, 69, was too upset to comment yesterday.
She was being quizzed by cops at her farmhouse in Trelech, West Wales.
Her husband Phillip, 77, was said to be ill in hospital.