News / Europe

Report: MI5 Tried to Recruit Woolwich Murder Suspect

In this Friday, May 24, 2013 file photo, military boots are laid in tribute outside the Woolwich Barracks, in London, in response to the bloody attack on Wednesday when a British soldier was killed in the nearby street. In this Friday, May 24, 2013 file photo, military boots are laid in tribute outside the Woolwich Barracks, in London, in response to the bloody attack on Wednesday when a British soldier was killed in the nearby street.
x
In this Friday, May 24, 2013 file photo, military boots are laid in tribute outside the Woolwich Barracks, in London, in response to the bloody attack on Wednesday when a British soldier was killed in the nearby street.
In this Friday, May 24, 2013 file photo, military boots are laid in tribute outside the Woolwich Barracks, in London, in response to the bloody attack on Wednesday when a British soldier was killed in the nearby street.
British police have arrested a man on suspicion of terrorism who was reportedly a friend of one of two suspects in Wednesday's brutal murder of a British soldier on a London street.

The friend, identified as Abu Nusaybah, was arrested Friday night, immediately after giving a television interview to the BBC about suspect Michael Adebolajo.

In the interview, Nusaybah claimed Adebolajo, 28 had been approached by Britain's security service months ago to work as an informant -- an offer he refused.

Nusaybah told the BBC that MI5 agents sought out Adebolajo after he returned to Britain from Kenya. He said Adebolajo had been changed by his trip to Kenya, where he claimed to have been detained and abused by local security forces.

London's Metropolitan Police confirmed that counter-terrorism officers arrested a 31-year-old man Friday on "suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism." Officials say the arrest was made at the BBC building, but have not confirmed the man's identity. They say the arrest was not directly linked to Wednesday's killing.

Adebolajo and his fellow suspect in the attack, 22-year-old Michael Adebowale, remain under guard in a hospital after police shot and arrested them following the murder. The victim, 25-year-old Lee Rigby, died at the scene.

Rigby, who had served in Afghanistan, was off-duty Wednesday afternoon at the time of the attack. He was rammed by a car and then hacked to death near an army barracks. Government officials said one of the attackers shouted "Allahu akbar," meaning "God is great" -- as the soldier lay dying near him.

The government has said there are "strong indications" the attack was a terrorist incident.

Both suspects are believed to have converted to Islam after being brought up Christian by their African immigrant families. The two men told bystanders they were acting in retaliation against British forces killing Muslims. Neither one has been charged.

You May Like

Some Cubans Anxious About Renewed US Diplomatic Relations

Cubans are worried rapprochement will mean the end of the Cuban Adjustment Act, which provides Cuban citizens a path to legal residency in the US More

UN Urges Myanmar to Give Rohingya 'Full Citizenship'

Around 140,000 Rohingya are stuck in filthy, overcrowded camps in Rakhine state, where sectarian unrest has left up to 280 people dead More

Free-Tailed Bats Possible Source of Current Ebola Epidemic

During mission to village where current outbreak began in Guinea, researchers interviewed villagers, monitored local wildlife, captured and sampled bats More

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Foreign Policy Battles Loom Between Obama, Republican-led Congressi
X
December 29, 2014 6:06 PM
Some of President Barack Obama’s loudest critics on foreign policy will have new powers as chairmen of various Senate committees when Republicans assume control of both houses of Congress in January. VOA Senate correspondent Michael Bowman reports, from Ukraine to the Middle East, the Obama administration can expect enhanced scrutiny of its outreach to the world.
Video

Video Foreign Policy Battles Loom Between Obama, Republican-led Congress

Some of President Barack Obama’s loudest critics on foreign policy will have new powers as chairmen of various Senate committees when Republicans assume control of both houses of Congress in January. VOA Senate correspondent Michael Bowman reports, from Ukraine to the Middle East, the Obama administration can expect enhanced scrutiny of its outreach to the world.
Video

Video Russians Head Into Holiday Facing Economic Malaise

Russian preparations for the New Year holiday are clouded by economic recession and a tumbling currency, the ruble. Nonetheless, people in the Russian capital appear to be in a festive mood. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports from Moscow.
Video

Video Mombasa in Holiday Tourism Slump Due to Security Fears

Kenya's usually popular beachside tourist destination of Mombasa is seeing a much slower holiday season this year due to fears of insecurity as the country has suffered from a string of terror attacks linked to Somali militants. Mohammed Yusuf reports for VOA on how businessmen and tourists feel about the situation.
Video

Video For Somalis, 2014 Marked by Political Instability Within Government

While Somalia has long been torn apart by warfare and violence, this year one of the country's biggest challenges has come from within the government, as political infighting curtails the country's progress, threatens security gains and disappoints the international community. VOA's Gabe Joselow report.
Video

Video 2014 Saw Intensification of Boko Haram Insurgency

The year 2014 saw Nigerian militant sect Boko Haram intensify its five-year insurgency and target civilians in large numbers as it seized territory in the northeast. The kidnapping of nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok in April sparked global outrage, but failed to become the turning point against the sect that Nigeria’s president said it would be. The picture at year's end is one of devastation and uncertainty. VOA’s Anne Look reports.
Video

Video Estimates Rising of Foreign Fighters in Iraq, Syria

Foreign fighters are making more of a mark on the battles raging across Syria and Iraq than initially thought. VOA's Jeff Seldin has more.
Video

Video US Political Shift Could Affect Iran Nuclear Talks

Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to resolve Iran’s nuclear crisis are continuing into 2015 after Iran and six world powers failed to agree by a November deadline. U.S. domestic politics, however, could complicate efforts to reach a deal in the new year. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins has the story.
Video

Video NYSE: The Icon of Capitalism

From its humble beginnings in 1792 to its status as an economic bellweather for the world, the New York Stock Exchange is an integral part of the story of America. VOA’s Bernard Shusman reports from Wall Street.
Video

Video Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Fight to Survive Water Crisis

In a region choking from dwindling water supplies, Lebanon has long been regarded as one of the few places where there is enough. But in recent years, half the people in the country have faced severe shortages. And the more than 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon are hit the worst by the water crisis, making the country's most vulnerable people increasingly impoverished and sick. Heather Murdock reports for VOA in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.

Circumventing Censorship

An Internet Primer for Healthy Web Habits

As surveillance and censoring technologies advance, so, too, do new tools for your computer or mobile device that help protect your privacy and break through Internet censorship.
More

All About America

AppleAndroid