Mother of Westminster attacker Khalid Masood 'shocked, saddened and numbed'

The mother of Westminster attacker Khalid Masood said she is "shocked, saddened and numbed" by his actions.

Janet Ajao said she had "shed many tears for the people caught up in this horrendous incident".

Masood, 52, killed three people when he drove his vehicle at 76 mph along a pavement on Westminster Bridge on Wednesday, 22 March. He crashed the vehicle and stabbed a police officer to death before being shot dead outside Parliament.

Ajao, from Trelech in Carmarthenshire, Wales, said: "I wish to make it absolutely clear, so there can be no doubt, I do not condone his actions nor support the beliefs he held that led to him committing this atrocity.

"I wish to thank my friends, family and community from the bottom of my heart for the love and support given to us."

Earlier, police said that there was no evidence that Masood had any links with international terror organisations Al-Qaeda or Isis, though said there was "clearly an interest in Jihad."

Isis had previously claimed responsibility for the attack, describing Masood as a "soldier of the Islamic State."

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said in a statement "His attack method appears to be based on low sophistication, low tech, low cost techniques copied from other attacks, and echo the rhetoric of IS leaders in terms of methodology and attacking police and civilians, but at this stage I have no evidence he discussed this with others.

"There is no evidence that Masood was radicalised in prison in 2003, as has been suggested; this is pure speculation at this time."

He said Masood had not been a subject of interest or part of the current domestic or international threat picture for either the security service or counter-terrorism policing.

He added: "He added: "I know when, where and how Masood committed his atrocities, but now I need to know why. Most importantly so do the victims and families."