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London attacker identified as Khalid Masood

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IANS London
Last Updated : Mar 24 2017 | 5:22 AM IST

Police on Thursday identified Khalid Masood as the man who carried out the Westminster attack, as the death toll rose to five.

Masood, 52, was born as Adrian Elms in Kent and was shot dead by police. He had not been the subject of any current police investigations, BBC reported.

Three women and five men were arrested in London and Birmingham on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts following Wednesday's attack.

PC Keith Palmer, 48, Aysha Frade and US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, were killed on Wednesday, while a 75-year-old man died on Thursday evening.

The so-called Islamic State group has said it was behind the attack.

Masood drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing his car into railings and then running into the grounds of Parliament, armed with a knife.

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He stabbed PC Palmer before being shot dead, BBC added.

The Metropolitan Police said there had been no prior intelligence about Masood's intention to carry out an attack.

But he was known to the police and his previous convictions included causing grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences. He was believed to have been living in the West Midlands.

Masood is believed to have lived at various times in Rye, Crawley in West Sussex and Eastbourne, in East Sussex.

He also appeared to have been convicted of a knife crime in 2003 in Eastbourne.

His first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last in December 2003 for possession of a knife.

He had not been convicted of any terrorism offences.

Car hire company Enterprise said the vehicle used in the attack had been rented from its Spring Hill depot in Birmingham.

The BBC understands Masood hired the Hyundai SUV in person, giving his profession as a teacher.

The Department for Education said it had no record of him having worked as a qualified teacher in English state schools.

--IANS

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First Published: Mar 24 2017 | 5:06 AM IST

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