Advertisement

Westminster terrorist was middle-class family man who was 'antithesis of violent radical', says former employer

A handout picture released by the British Metropolitan Police Service shows Khalid Masood - AFP
A handout picture released by the British Metropolitan Police Service shows Khalid Masood - AFP

The Westminster terrorist was a middle-class family man who was the "antithesis of a violent radical", his former employer has said.

Farasat, who wanted his identity to be protected, was a manager at an English language school where attacker Khaled Masood worked between 2010 and 2012.

He said he was "completely horrified" when we he realised Masood, his former employee, was behind last week's atrocities which left four victims dead and many more injured.

 Westminster attacker  - Credit: PA
Westminster attacker Credit: PA

Farasat said he had been an "excellent teacher" during his time at the school and got on very well with all his , including the non-Muslim colleagues.

Describing him as a very "friendly, stable kind of guy", he said he had never noticed any interest in a "politicised version of Islam" from Masood he said in an interview with the BBC

While the manager said he had not spoken to the terrorist in four years, he said he did not believe the terrorist had any contact with any of the extremist groups.

Farasat said in his period in Luton Masood did not appear to be an extremist. He "wasn't a radical," he said, "in prison; in Saudi Arabia and in Luton" he told the BBC.

He added: "If he was, he would have spoke (sic) to me or asked me questions about issues pertaining to that particular strain of thoughts".

"We're talking about a middle aged middle-class man who was very focused on his family.

"I would go as far as to say he was the antithesis of a violent radical." 

READ MORE ABOUT: