London attacker's wife condemns actions

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Floral tributes to the victims of the Westminster attack are placed outside the Palace of Westminster, London, Monday March 27, 2017Image source, AP

The wife of Westminster attacker Khalid Masood has said she is "saddened and shocked" and condemned his actions.

In a statement issued through police, Rohey Hydara expressed her condolences to the families of the dead and wished a "speedy recovery" to those injured.

Masood killed three people when he drove a car into pedestrians last Wednesday. He then fatally stabbed a police officer before being shot dead.

Inquests into the deaths of his four victims will be opened on Wednesday.

Ms Hydara went on to "request privacy for our family, especially the children, at this difficult time".

Her comments came after Masood's mother, Janet Ajao, said she had "shed many tears for the people caught up in this horrendous incident".

Masood, 52, is reported to have at least three children and one previous wife.

He drove his hired car into people on Westminster Bridge and then stabbed PC Keith Palmer, 48, outside Parliament.

Image source, PA/Facebook
Image caption,
PC Keith Palmer, Kurt Cochran and Aysha Frade all died in the attack (left to right)

His other victims were Aysha Frade, 44, who worked at a London sixth-form college, US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, and retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, from south London.

Thirteen people are understood to remain in hospital.

The Metropolitan Police said the victims of the attack have been formally identified and inquests into their deaths are due to be opened and adjourned at Westminster Coroner's Court.

The inquest into Masood's death will be opened and adjourned the following day.

The so-called Islamic State group has said it was behind his actions. But Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said while Masood "clearly had an interest in jihad", police had so far found no evidence of an association with the group or al-Qaeda.

Officers investigating the attacks are holding two people from Birmingham on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. Nine people have so far been released without charge, while a 32-year-old woman arrested in Manchester remains on police bail until late March.

Masood was believed to have been living in the West Midlands before the attack, and had previously spent time in Luton, Crawley, Rye and Eastbourne.

He was registered at birth in Kent as Adrian Elms and used the name Ajao after his mother married a man with that surname. He later converted to Islam and became Masood.

Image caption,
A copy of Khalid Masood's birth certificate shows he was named Adrian Elms

Speaking on Tuesday, his mother, Janet Ajao, from Trelech in Carmarthenshire, also said she was "shocked, saddened and numbed" by the attack.

She added: "I wish to make it absolutely clear, so there can be no doubt, I do not condone his actions nor support the beliefs he held that led to him committing this atrocity.