Shropshire Star

Westminster attack: Birmingham man arrested as anti-terror police search home

A Birmingham man was arrested today by police investigating the deadly terrorist attack on Westminster by Khalid Masood.

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It came as counter-terrorism police this weekend searched a home in Birmingham where friends of Masood live.

Neighbours said officers turned up at a maisonette in Bredon Croft, Hockley - just yards from where Masood had recently lived - on Saturday lunchtime.

A family, who live next door, said Masood used to come wearing Islamic dress and take their neighbours' children to mosque - although they did not know where.

Masood, 52, from Birmingham, had until the end of 2016 lived in Quayside, less than 200 yards away.

A statement from the Metroplitan Police this afternoon said: "A new arrest has been made as part of the investigation being carried out by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command into the Westminster attack.

"A 30-year-old man was arrested today, Sunday, March 26, at an address in Birmingham on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts."

A 58-year-old Birimgham man who was arrested on March 23 on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts remains in police custody.

A 32-year-old woman was arrested on March 24 on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts and has been released on bail until a date in late March.

In total, twelve people have been arrested as part of the investigation. Nine have been released with no further action.

On Sunday, specialist police search teams were still at Bredon Croft removing bags of evidence, while an unmarked van and a West Midlands Police van were parked close by.

Speaking with her mother alongside her, a girl living next door to the house said she had met Masood who "seemed kind, normal".

She said Masood's two children had gone to her school, nearby Brookfields Primary School.

A police vehicle in Bredon Croft, Hockley, Birmingham

The neighbour added: "A couple live there with their four children, they are a nice family.

"I saw the man from London visiting here.

"They went to London, my little sister was in his son's class.

"They left last year, to go to London - before the holidays.

"His children used to visit next door and he (Masood) used to pick them up, sometimes."

She added: "Sometimes he used to come here and pick up their two girls to take them to mosque."

The neighbours said they had not seen Masood or his children since his family left before Christmas.

A woman, thought to be a plain clothes police officer, answered the door to reporters and said: "This is a scene."

A West Midlands Police spokeswoman referred press queries about the property to the Metropolitan Police.

Meanwhile, a 58-year-old arrested in Birmingham remains in custody after a hunt for accomplices saw 11 people held after raids across the country.

One of the mothers at the primary school said her daughter was best friends with Masood's, but added "I always got the chills from him".

Sabrina Hussain described how she changed her mind about taking her child, nine-year-old Skye, to his daughter's birthday party just before Christmas.

Ms Hussain, 28, said: "I thought I was being a bit over-protective, but then I just thought 'no I can't let her go' and we turned the car around and I made up an excuse saying the party had been cancelled.

"I just didn't want her to go.

"There was just something about him that wasn't right."

She said another mother at the school had raised a complaint about Masood's personal hygiene because she claimed "he smelt of B.O".

Ms Hussain, from Hockley, added: "He would never meet me eye-to-eye, even though mine and his daughter were best friends.

"He would speak to the other Muslim dads at the school, but not the women.

"I always got the chills from him to be honest - I never felt comfortable around him.

"Then, one day my daughter came home crying and told me her best friend was moving away to London because her nan was sick."

She only saw Masood's children's mother "once or twice", describing "a black woman who wore full Islamic dress".

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