UK media are reporting that at least one of the three London Bridge terrorists last night was previously known to law enforcement, making this yet another “Known Wolf” terror attack.
Last night I was live blogging the incident here at PJ Media.
I'm continuing to provide live updates on #LondonBridge #BoroughMarket terror attacks @PJMedia_com https://t.co/uo1btthFGk
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) June 4, 2017
Given past incidents, I assumed that this would join my ever-growing list of “Known Wolf” attacks. And now that appears to be confirmed.
London terrorist had twice been referred to police over his extremist views #LondonBridgeAttackhttps://t.co/BLnhP1xAXq
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 4, 2017
Old friend of a London attacker says he had reported him to authorities as he became increasingly extreme in his views over last two years.
— Jack Moore (@JFXM) June 4, 2017
The Telegraph reports tonight:
One of the three jihadists who murdered revellers in central London on Saturday had been reported to the anti-terror police on at least two occasions, it has been claimed.
A former friend of the terrorist, who was shot dead by police along with two accomplices, claimed he had been radicalised while watching YouTube videos and said he contacted the authorities after becoming concerned over his friend’s extremist views.
A neighbour also claimed she had contacted police in Barking, east London, after the suspect tried to convert her children to Islam and radicalise them. The man is not being named at the request of the police.
The former friend claimed he contacted police after comments the man made about other previous attacks. But he said the authorities had failed to act and take action despite evidence of increasingly extremist views.
Perhaps even more disturbing:
The friend told the BBC’s Asian Network that the terrorist had been radicalised watching videos of the infamous American hate preacher Ahmad Musa Jibril.
I’ll leave Imam Jibril for my next article, but the fact that yet another “Known Wolf” terrorist has slipped through the net of law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and national security is hardly breaking news.
In fact, just two weeks ago I reported here at PJ Media on the Manchester bomber, who was known to MI5 for at least five years before last month’s attack.
Suspected Manchester Ariana Grande Concert Bomber Salman Abedi is Yet Another #KnownWolf Terrorist https://t.co/gOusXfg6Up via @pjmedia_com
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) May 23, 2017
And the Westminster attacker from March had long been on the radar of UK authorities.
5 Days and 2 'Known Wolf' Terror Attacks, Yet No Apparent Concern from Western Govts — How Many More Must Die? https://t.co/bYMXtsh0o2
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) March 23, 2017
The problem has become so ubiquitous that even the British media have picked up my “Known Wolf” terminology:
Salman Abedi wasn't a lone wolf – he was a known wolf, and the Muslim community tried to warn us about him https://t.co/WiZKREx7te
— The Independent (@Independent) May 26, 2017
Just last week I received a shout-out from the New York Post on my “Known Wolf” reporting on the homegrown terrorism problem:
Terrorists don't go from thought to action overnight https://t.co/CTKhKsBdDa
— New York Post (@nypost) May 27, 2017
But after reporting on this issue here at PJ Media for years now, what action has been taken? None.
In the UK, where they now have had three separate “Known Wolf” terror attacks in less than 90 days, MI5 decided to investigate itself.
Worth noting that almost every UK Islamist terror attacker since 9/11 was known to mi5, who in every case made a decision not to watch them.
— Charles Shoebridge (@ShoebridgeC) May 23, 2017
Despite warnings, not only did mi5 decide not to watch Abedi, he also wasn't referred to UK deradicalisation schemehttps://t.co/CLvpDhGPdr
— Charles Shoebridge (@ShoebridgeC) May 30, 2017
Needless to say, I don’t hold out much hope.
MI5 will investigate itself and conclude they need to do better #KnownWolf https://t.co/T71xBaonoz
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) May 30, 2017
Until there are consequences for those paid by taxpayers to handle these issues, namely government officials losing their jobs, the problem will continue.
In the coming days we’ll continue to learn more about the three suspects in the London Bridge attacks last night. And odds are that we’ll find out that more than one — if not all — of the attackers were already known to UK authorities.
Once that is established, authorities can begin the ever-elusive pursuit of motive in the killings.
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Below, find Poole’s prior coverage of the “Known Wolf” scandal:
Oct. 24, 2014: ‘Lone Wolf’ or ‘Known Wolf’: The Ongoing Counter-Terrorism Failure
Dec. 15, 2014: Sydney Hostage Taker Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Syndrome
Jan. 7, 2015: Paris Terror Attack Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Syndrome
Feb. 3, 2015: French Police Terror Attacker Yesterday Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Syndrome
Feb. 15, 2015: Copenhagen Killer Was yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
Feb. 26, 2015: Islamic State Beheader ‘Jihadi John’ Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
Apr. 22, 2015: Botched Attack on Paris Churches Another Case of “Known Wolf” Terrorism
May 4, 2015: Texas Attack Is Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
June 26, 2015: France’s Beheading Terrorist Was Well-Known By Authorities
July 16, 2015: Report: Chattanooga Jihadist Was Yet Another ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorist, Anonymous Feds Dispute
Aug. 22, 2015: European Train Attacker Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
Oct 14, 2015: Yet Again: Turkey, Israel Terror Attacks Committed by “Known Wolves”
Nov 14, 2015: One Paris Attacker Was Previously Known to Authorities, Marks Fifth ‘Known Wolf” Attack in France This Year
Feb 16, 2016: Machete Attack in Ohio Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
May 16, 2016: News Reports Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ U.S. Terrorists
June 12, 2016: Orlando Night Club Attack by “Known Wolf” Terrorist Previously Investigated by FBI
July 14, 2016: Senate Intelligence Committee to Investigate “Known Wolf” Terrorism Problem
July 26, 2016: ISIS Suspect in Normandy Priest’s Killing Already Known to French Authorities
August 10, 2016: Canadian ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorist Planned Suicide Bombing of Major City, Killed in Overnight Police Operation
August 19, 2016: Man Who Stabbed Rabbi Thursday in Strasbourg, France Involved in Prior Attack
Sept. 20, 2016: NY-NJ Bomber Ahmad Khan Rahami Already Known to Law Enforcement Authorities
Sept. 28, 2016: “Known Wolf” SCANDAL: In at Least 12 of the 14 Terror Attacks Under Obama, FBI Already Knew Attackers
Dec. 21, 2016: Suspect Sought for Deadly Berlin Terror Attack, Anis Amri, Yet Another Known Wolf
March 23, 2017: Five Days and Two ‘Known Wolf’ Terror Attacks, Yet No Apparent Concern From Western Governments
March 26, 2017: ’60 Minutes’ Whitewashes Massive FBI Failure in 2015 ISIS Texas Terror Attack
May 23, 2017: Manchester Bomber Is Yet Another “Known Wolf”
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