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London attacker was not linked with ISIS, al-Qaida

London attacker not part of ISIS, al-Qaida
London attacker not part of ISIS, al-Qaida
Posted at 12:05 PM, Mar 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-27 12:50:46-04

A senior British counterterrorism officer says police have found "no evidence" Westminster attacker Khalid Masood was associated with the Islamic State group or al-Qaida.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu says Masood clearly had "an interest in jihad," but police have no evidence he discussed his attack with others.

Basu says in a statement that the attack in which Masood used an SUV and knives to kill four people in London "appears to be based on low sophistication, low tech, low cost techniques copied from other attacks."

He says Masood was not a "subject of interest" for counterterror police or the intelligence services before last week's attack.

The officer's claims came on the same day that Masood's mother released a statement. Janet Ajao's statement, per CNN, is below.

"I am so deeply shocked, saddened and numbed by the actions my son has taken that have killed and injured innocent people in Westminster.

"Since discovering that it was my son that was responsible I have shed many tears for the people caught up in this horrendous incident.

"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.

"I wish to thank my friends, family and community from the bottom of my heartfor the love and support given to us."