Westminster attack: Sudanese immigrant Salih Khater named as suspect

A Sudanese immigrant, thought to be behind London’s latest terror attack, has been revealed as a “shy” Celine Dion-loving British national whose dad and brother recently died.

Salih Khater, 29, who veered off the road careering into pedestrians and 15 cyclists at Westminster on Tuesday morning, was most recently living in a rundown flat above an internet cafe in Sparkhill, Birmingham

Last night he refused to answer police questions over the incident which sent the city’s parliamentary precinct into lockdown.

Details have now begin to emerge about the suspect, who describes himself on Facebook as a shop manager who studied at the Sudan University of Science and Technology.

He also studied accountancy at Coventry University between September 2017 and May 2018, the university confirmed.

Khater grew up in the rural town of Wad Madani where his parents were farmers.

He came to the UK around five years ago and recently lost his dad and brother within months of each other, the Daily Mail reported.

One friend said he understood his relatives died in Sudan in separate car crashes and he was “devastated by his sudden loss.”

Khater was also reportedly being investigated over “irregularities” in his British citizenship in the days leading up to the attack, the website claims, but the Home Office refused to comment.

He is understood to have told friends he was going to London to collect a visa for Sudan before the attack yesterday morning.

His Facebook profile includes videos from pop stars Celine Dion, Eminem and Rihanna — including Dion singing Because You Loved Me in Memphis.

He posted another video of Eminem and Rihanna’s Love The Way You Lie.

Friends described their shock at hearing about his alleged involvement in the attack, describing him as “quiet” and a “good person.”

Abrha Tomas, 35, said:

Everybody knows him. I knew this guy. He’s a good person. I’ve known him for about six or seven years. I don’t know where he lives. We played pool together.

I don’t think it was terrorism. He’s not that kind of person.

Mr Tomas suggested the incident was unintentional.

It was an accident just like anyone would have, he said.

There were two ambulances behind him trying to pass and he tried to get out the way and lost control.

Childhood friend Abubakr Ibrahim, 30, told The Sun:

He’s a very good man and he has no idea about terrorism. When I heard (what had happened) I was surprised. I really can’t believe my friend would do that, even cannibals wouldn’t do (something like) that.

British counter terrorism police yesterday raided three properties, including one in Nottingham where the Ford Fiesta used in the attack was registered.

Khater is reported to have driven from his flat in Birmingham, in the Midlands, to London late on Monday night.

He spent the early hours of Tuesday driving around central London, including the tourist hot spots along Tottenham Court Road.

He then spent 90 minutes driving around Whitehall and Westminster, before the 7.37am attack.

Three people were injured. One of the victims was treated for minor injuries at the scene, while a man and a woman were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Both were discharged overnight.

Armed police surrounded a car and arrested a man after a number of pedestrians were hit before ploughing into security barriers outside Parliament in Westminster, London. Picture: Sky TVSource:Supplied

The Metropolitan Police Service said the attack appeared to have been deliberate and it is “being treated as a terrorist incident” led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

Originally published as What we know about Westminster suspect