London Bridge terrorist had been ‘reported to anti-terror hotline TWICE by pals but no action was taken’
One of the three sick terrorists behind last night's attack in London Bridge was reported to security services on at least two occasions, it was claimed last night.
Questions were raised as to whether authorities had allowed one of the killers had slipped through the net after two of his former friends claimed to have spoken out about their concerns.
One former pal of the suspected attacker, who was shot dead by police during the atrocity, says he informed the anti-terror hotline of his fears, but no further action was taken by authorities.
The man, who asked not to be named, claimed that he was left horrified when his friend attempted to justify previous terror attacks.
He also claimed that the killer had been radicalised while watching YouTube videos.
Speaking to the BBC's Asian Network, he said: "We spoke about a particular attack that had happened and, like most radicals, he had a justification for anything, everything and anything. That day I realised that I need to contact the authorities."
He added: “He used to listen to a lot of Musa Jibril. I have heard some of this stuff and its very radical.
"I am surprised this stuff is still on YouTube and is easily accessible. I phoned the anti-terror hotline. I spoke to the gentleman.
"I told him about our conversation and why I think he was radicalised.”
Despite his warning, authorities failed to arrest the man, who was allowed to keep his passport.
He added: "I phoned the anti-terrorist hotline and spoke to the gentleman.
"I told him about our conversation and why I think he has been radicalised.
"I did my bit, but the authorities didn't do their bit."
A neighbour of the man also claimed to have reported him to Barking police two years ago, after he began “brainwashing” her children at a local east London park.
Mum-of-three Erica Gasparri, said she had confronted him when two of her children returned home and announced: “Mummy I want to become a Muslim.”
Mrs Gasparri, who lives in the block in Barking which was raided by police on Sunday, told : "I took four photographs of him and gave them to the [local] police.
“They rang Scotland Yard when I was there and said the information had been passed on. They were very concerned.
“They told me to delete the photos for my own safety, which I did, but then I heard nothing. That was two years ago.
"No one came to me. If they did, this could have been prevented and lives could have been saved.”
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The allegations follow similar claims made about Salman Abedi, the suicide bomber who killed 22 people in an attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester two weeks ago.
Sources claim authorities were informed of the danger posed by the 23-year-old extremist on at least five occasions over a five-year period.
Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, said: “People in the community expressed concerns about the way this man was behaving and reported it in the right way using the right channels.
“They did not hear anything since.”
Two friends of Abedi also became so worried by his views that they separately telephoned the police counter-terrorism hotline five years ago and again last year.
A source told the BBC: "They had been worried that ‘he was supporting terrorism’ and had expressed the view that ‘being a suicide bomber was ok’".
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police refused to comment on the identity of the suspects in the London attack.