Widow of Westminster Bridge attacker Khalid Masood tells inquest 'I was married to evil'

The widow of Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood said she could not believe she had been married to someone so “evil” as she tearfully apologised to his victims at their inquest.

She apologised for not being “more vigilant” of her husband before the 52-year-old killed four pedestrians and a policeman in a car and knife rampage in March last year.

Masood was shot dead by police after stabbing Pc Keith Palmer, 48, to death and ploughing into Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, on Westminster Bridge in a rented 4x4.

His widow was refused anonymity by a coroner at the inquest, but was allowed to give evidence in the Old Bailey's Court One out of sight of the public and media.

Rohey Hydara, who insisted she had no idea what Masood was planning, said: "I would like to speak to the victims and families. I'm sorry that I was not more vigilant. He made me trust him and I had no reason to doubt him.

"I know it's hard. It is for me every day. I cannot imagine what you guys are going through.

"I hope my being here today will give you answers you seek.

"I cannot believe I was married to someone that evil. I hope that you find closure at the end of all this and you move on and do not let him win."

Ms Hydara said she spoke to Masood on FaceTime the night before the attack, when he appeared "emotional" with a red face.

He told her it was a rash, but she thought it was because he was upset due to his stepfather being ill.

On the morning of March 22, the day of the killing spree, Masood sent his wife and children a text saying: "I hope you guys are all okay I have been thinking about you lots, love daddy."

He sent another text of an emoji blowing a kiss.

After about 2.30pm, just before the attack, she received another message.

This contained "Jihadi" document with a picture of Masood on it.

She thought it was "strange" and texted him back asking to speak urgently, she told the court.

When she saw pictures of her husband lying injured after the attack, she phoned police and said: "I think my husband is involved in what's happened at Westminster."

Ms Hydara, who married Masood in 2006, described the terrorist’s exercise regime, supplemented by steroids, as well as his devout religious tendencies.

He was stricter in eating halal food than her and had tried to make her wear Islamic clothes.

Giving more background on his personality, she described him as “very, very short tempered”.

He threatened her with divorce twice.

Once when she refused to stop wearing trousers and again when she asked him not to take steroids.

"He would get very bad when he was on steroids," she said.

"If you would look at him in a certain way he would talk about it for an hour. He was angry. I would always back down."

While under the effects of steroids, Masood would record bizarre rants, some of which were played to the inquest.

In one, Masood's raised voice is heard to say: "I never hear you say there's any good in Isis, I never hear you say at least they're fighting against the Shia, they're doing some good.

"All you say is they're bad, they're evil and they're wicked, there's no good in them.

"You even said they're the same as the Jews and the Shia, which is absolutely disgraceful.

The rant ended: "They're not the enemy."

In another, he berated Ms Hydara in a barely intelligible monologue telling her: "I might be 100% wrong, but I'm head of the family."

She told the court: "That was actually one of the times when he was calmer."

The inquest into the deaths Masood's five victims continues.