London terror attack suspect identified as Khalid Masood

The attacker who murdered three people and injured many others before he was shot dead by the police in yesterday's London attack has been identified as Khalid Masood.

It has been confirmed that he was born in the UK and was in his mid 50s. It is strongly believed that he is inspired by Islamic extremism. 

Yesterday, Mr Masood drove along Westminster Bridge yesterday afternoon killing a mother-of-two and a man in his mid-50s and injuring another 29 people, some of them critically. He then got out of the vehicle and ran round the corner to get into the grounds of the Palace of Westminster where he stabbed a police officer before he was gunned down.

Describing the terrorist, Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Theresa May told MPs that he was a ‘peripheral’ figure, adding that he was not part of their current intelligence picture.

"What I can confirm is that the man was British-born and that some years ago he was once investigated by MI5 in relation to concerns about violent extremism. He was a peripheral figure. The case is historic. He was not part of the current intelligence picture. There was no prior intelligence of his intent or of the plot." She said

Anti-terror police have arrested eight people in the wake of the attack.