UK soldier's killing: Suspect appears in court, blows flying kisses, holds Quran
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| A member of the public gallery blows kisses at Michael Adebolajo in the dock |
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| Michael Adebolajo kissing the Koran, as he appears at Westminster Magistrates Court |
LONDON: Michael Adebolajo appeared remorseless after he appeared in a court for the first time on Monday.
Twenty-eight-year-old Adebolajo, charged with hacking British soldier Lee Rigby to death in Woolwich in broad daylight, stood at Westminster Magistrates Court, blowing kisses to a supporter sitting in the public gallery.
Holding a Quran in hand, Adebolajo, flanked by armed guards, told the judge that he wanted to be referred as Mujahid Abu Hamza.
His lawyer David Gottlieb and deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot continuously referred to him as Abu Hamza during the hearing.
Flanked by three guards behind glass panels, Adebolajo disrupted court proceedings several times, saying "May I respond, may I respond," during the 10-minute proceeding.
He also questioned the charges brought against him, besides showing a thumbs up to his lawyer.
The next hearing will take place at the Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, on June 28.
Adebolajo will be allowed to apply for bail in the next hearing but is unlikely to get one.
Adebolajo was remanded in custody.
He was shot by police at the scene of the killing of Rigby when he charged at them with a gun in hand. He had been admitted in hospital for nine days after which he was discharged and arrested.
He appeared in court with his left hand heavily bandaged. .
At the end of the short hearing, Adebolajo stretched out and raised his arms, pointed to the sky and kissed the Quran.
"I would like to alleviate the pain if I may," he said, before being escorted out of court by a heavily armed contingent of police.
Adebolajo is a Briton of Nigerian descent and is charged with murder, the attempted murder of two police officers and possession of a 9.4mm Dutch calibre KNIL Model 91 revolver with intent to cause others harm.
A second suspect, Michael Adebowale, 22, has been remanded in custody till June 28 after he appeared by a video link at the Old Bailey for a bail hearing. He is also charged with murder and possession of a firearm with intent.
Adebolajo was defiant in court. When the judge asked him to stand, he said, "May I ask why?" "I want to sit".
Rigby died of "multiple incised wounds" after he was attacked on a street in Woolwich with a butcher's knives and meat cleavers by the duo because "he was a British soldier".
The duo had converted to Islam and had been on the lookout for British soldiers to slaughter.
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale first hit Rigby with their blue Vauxhall Tigra car before beheading and hacking him in broad daylight.
An eyewitness had said, "They were hacking at him, chopping him, cutting him. These two guys were crazed. They were just animals. They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road and left his body there."
The two attackers were then confronted by the police and shot at.
Over 500 police officers have been investigating the case and more than 10 people have been arrested for questioning till now.
Adebolajo's family recently spoke out against the horrific murder and said, "as a family, we wish to share with others our horror at the senseless killing of Lee Rigby and express our profound shame and distress that this has brought to our family. We wish to state openly that we believe that there is no place for violence in the name of religion or politics. We believe that all right thinking members of society share this view, wherever they were born and whatever their religion and political beliefs."
"We wholeheartedly condemn all those who engage in acts of terror and fully reject any suggestion by them that religion or politics can justify this kind of violence."
The statement added: "We unreservedly put our faith in the rule of law and, with others, fully expect that all the perpetrators will be brought to justice under the law of the land."
Twenty-eight-year-old Adebolajo, charged with hacking British soldier Lee Rigby to death in Woolwich in broad daylight, stood at Westminster Magistrates Court, blowing kisses to a supporter sitting in the public gallery.
Holding a Quran in hand, Adebolajo, flanked by armed guards, told the judge that he wanted to be referred as Mujahid Abu Hamza.
His lawyer David Gottlieb and deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot continuously referred to him as Abu Hamza during the hearing.
Flanked by three guards behind glass panels, Adebolajo disrupted court proceedings several times, saying "May I respond, may I respond," during the 10-minute proceeding.
He also questioned the charges brought against him, besides showing a thumbs up to his lawyer.
The next hearing will take place at the Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, on June 28.
Adebolajo will be allowed to apply for bail in the next hearing but is unlikely to get one.
Adebolajo was remanded in custody.
He was shot by police at the scene of the killing of Rigby when he charged at them with a gun in hand. He had been admitted in hospital for nine days after which he was discharged and arrested.
He appeared in court with his left hand heavily bandaged. .
At the end of the short hearing, Adebolajo stretched out and raised his arms, pointed to the sky and kissed the Quran.
"I would like to alleviate the pain if I may," he said, before being escorted out of court by a heavily armed contingent of police.
Adebolajo is a Briton of Nigerian descent and is charged with murder, the attempted murder of two police officers and possession of a 9.4mm Dutch calibre KNIL Model 91 revolver with intent to cause others harm.
A second suspect, Michael Adebowale, 22, has been remanded in custody till June 28 after he appeared by a video link at the Old Bailey for a bail hearing. He is also charged with murder and possession of a firearm with intent.
Adebolajo was defiant in court. When the judge asked him to stand, he said, "May I ask why?" "I want to sit".
Rigby died of "multiple incised wounds" after he was attacked on a street in Woolwich with a butcher's knives and meat cleavers by the duo because "he was a British soldier".
The duo had converted to Islam and had been on the lookout for British soldiers to slaughter.
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale first hit Rigby with their blue Vauxhall Tigra car before beheading and hacking him in broad daylight.
An eyewitness had said, "They were hacking at him, chopping him, cutting him. These two guys were crazed. They were just animals. They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road and left his body there."
The two attackers were then confronted by the police and shot at.
Over 500 police officers have been investigating the case and more than 10 people have been arrested for questioning till now.
Adebolajo's family recently spoke out against the horrific murder and said, "as a family, we wish to share with others our horror at the senseless killing of Lee Rigby and express our profound shame and distress that this has brought to our family. We wish to state openly that we believe that there is no place for violence in the name of religion or politics. We believe that all right thinking members of society share this view, wherever they were born and whatever their religion and political beliefs."
"We wholeheartedly condemn all those who engage in acts of terror and fully reject any suggestion by them that religion or politics can justify this kind of violence."
The statement added: "We unreservedly put our faith in the rule of law and, with others, fully expect that all the perpetrators will be brought to justice under the law of the land."
Courtesy: The Times of India
Photo, Courtesy: Mirror News
