An MI5 officer has told the inquest into the deaths of Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt that the security service could not have prevented the Fishmongers’ Hall attack.
This is despite earlier intelligence that Usman Khan wanted to “die and go to paradise.”
The 28-year-old terrorist killed Cambridge graduates Saskia Jones, 23, and Jack Merritt, 25, and injured three other people at a prisoner education event in London on November 29th 2019.
He launched his attack with two knives and a fake suicide belt. He was later shot dead by police after being chased on to London Bridge.
Usman Khan had previously been known to MI5 before he carried out the attack
The inquest heard from an officer known as “Witness A” that the attack could not have been prevented.
She confirmed that the security service first became aware of Khan in 2008, as a member of terror group al-Muhajiroun (ALM).
He was linked to a plot to attack the London Stock Exchange and jailed for planning a terror camp abroad. But MI5 closed the investigation into Mr Khan in 2015.
When asked if this was the right decision, the witness said ““I do. We had carried out quite a significant period of investigation while he was in prison.
“We received a steady stream of intelligence while in prison, and we saw no activities of national security concern. Therefore it was the right time to close the investigation.”
The investigation into the deaths of Ms Jones and Mr Merritt continues.
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HeadlineMI5 officer: ‘Security service could not have prevented the Fishmongers’ Hall attack’
Short HeadlineMI5: 'Fishmongers' Hall attack couldn't be prevented'
StandfirstThis is despite earlier intelligence that Usman Khan wanted to "die and go to paradise."
An MI5 officer has told the inquest into the deaths of Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt that the security service could not have prevented the Fishmongers’ Hall attack.
This is despite earlier intelligence that Usman Khan wanted to “die and go to paradise.”
The 28-year-old terrorist killed Cambridge graduates Saskia Jones, 23, and Jack Merritt, 25, and injured three other people at a prisoner education event in London on November 29th 2019.
He launched his attack with two knives and a fake suicide belt. He was later shot dead by police after being chased on to London Bridge.
Usman Khan had previously been known to MI5 before he carried out the attack
The inquest heard from an officer known as “Witness A” that the attack could not have been prevented.
She confirmed that the security service first became aware of Khan in 2008, as a member of terror group al-Muhajiroun (ALM).
He was linked to a plot to attack the London Stock Exchange and jailed for planning a terror camp abroad. But MI5 closed the investigation into Mr Khan in 2015.
When asked if this was the right decision, the witness said ““I do. We had carried out quite a significant period of investigation while he was in prison.
“We received a steady stream of intelligence while in prison, and we saw no activities of national security concern. Therefore it was the right time to close the investigation.”
The investigation into the deaths of Ms Jones and Mr Merritt continues.
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