Join today and you can easily save your favourite articles, join in the conversation and comment, plus select which news your want direct to your inbox.
Join today and you can easily save your favourite articles, join in the conversation and comment, plus select which news your want direct to your inbox.
London: The London Bridge attack's ringleader had been trying to get a job as a security guard at Wimbledon.
Khuram Shazad Butt had set up a job interview with the firm that supplies safety stewards to the tennis tournament, as well as English Premier League football clubs. Security services and counter-terrorism police are now investigating Butt's motive in trying to get the job.
A report published in The Lancet edical journal finds as many as one in six premature deaths in 2015 - perhaps as many as 9 million total - could be attributed to disease caused by pollution.
Up Next
Former actress alleges graphic Weinstein harassment
As tensions rise over Catalonia's secessionist drive, the Spanish government has reportedly agreed with the opposition Socialists on an package of measures to impose direct rule.
Nearly 340,000 Rohingya children are living in squalid conditions in Bangladesh camps where they lack enough food, clean water and health care, says UNICEF.
The last district in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk still in the hands of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters has been taken over by Iraqi forces following a three-hour battle.
Although he was under low-level investigation by MI5 and counter-terrorism police, Butt was able to get a job working at Westminster station because employers are not made aware of security services' concerns when performing criminal records checks.
A source close to the intelligence services said: "The security firm would check his background but it does not have access to the police watch list or have knowledge of any MI5 investigation. There would have been no reason for him not to get the job.
Advertisement
"Butt could not only have caused serious damage but potentially helped other terrorists to get into one of these events."
You will now receive updates fromBreaking News Alert
Breaking News Alert
Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox.
British police identified Khuram Shazad Butt (left) and Rachid Redouane as two of the London Bridge attackers. Photo: Metropolitan Police
The terrorists had attached water bottles to leather belts and covered them in silver masking tape. The belts were still being worn by the trio when they were shot dead by armed officers.
Commander Dean Haydon, who is leading the investigation, said: "I have not seen this tactic in the UK before where terrorists create maximum fear by strapping fake explosives to themselves. Anyone who saw them on the night would have thought they were genuine. It is hard to speculate what the motive was for wearing the belts. It could be that they had plans to take the attack in to a siege situation or it might be that they saw it as protection from being shot themselves.
A photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of the fake suicide belt worn by one of the London Bridge attackers. Photo: Metropolitan Police
"It makes the bravery of those police officers and members of the public who tackled the terrorists even more remarkable.
"The belt would have been visible to them and if you are fighting back or aiming a shot at someone wearing the device, you would clearly be very aware that you could be caught in an explosion."