One of the men suspected of the brutal killing of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich attended a rally led by controversial preacher Anjem Choudary, a new video has shown.
Michael Adebolajo, allegedly the man pictured in videos addressing the camera while holding a meat cleaver with bloodied hands by the murdered soldier, can be seen at the Islamist demonstration in 2007.
In the BBC video, he is seen standing directly behind Choudary, who was then the leader of Al Muhajiroun, which has now been banned.
Michael Adebolajo can be seen at the Islamist demonstration in 2007
Holding black and white signs, they are demonstrating outside Paddington Green Police station.
Choudary,told The Independent he knew one of the men, who was known as Mujahid.
He told the paper: “He was a pleasant, quiet guy. He reverted to Islam in about 2003. He was just a completely normal guy.
"He was interested in Islam, in memorising the Koran. He disappeared about two years ago. I don’t know what influences he has been under since then.
“There is plenty of material out there that does not observe the covenant we do that there can be no attacks in Europe. There is Al-Awlaki and Inspire. I do not know what sort of material Mujahid could have seen.”
Woolwich residents said last night they had seen men matching the descriptions of the two men shot by police, and that they had been preaching on busy streets in the area.
The man in the foreground is Anjem Choudary, leader of the now banned group Al Muhajiroun
Holding black and white signs, they are demonstrating outside Paddington Green Police station
Adebolajo, 28, was born in Britain in a observant Catholic family. His parents were Nigerian immigrants, living in Romford, Essex. But those close to the family observed that Adebolajo became interested in radical Islam in his mid-teens, and the family moved to Lincolnshire, allegedly to keep him away from damaging influences.
A British government official said both suspects were part of previous security services investigations for possible terror links.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the investigation, said he could not provide other details because the suspects may face trial. Investigations by Britain's domestic security service, MI5, can include undercover surveillance, phone tapping and communications intercepts.