Fishmongers’ Hall attack victims ‘unlawfully killed’

LONDON: A string of failures led to the deaths of two young people in a terror attack at London’s Fishmongers’ Hall after authorities were blinded by their killers’ “poster boy image”, an inquest jury has concluded.

Cambridge graduates Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, were fatally stabbed by convicted terrorist Usman Khan at an alumni event put on by prisoner education programme Learning Together on November 29, 2019.

Khan, 28, who wore a fake bomb vest, was tackled by delegates armed with a narwhal tusk and a fire extinguisher, and driven out on to London Bridge where he was shot dead by police.

An inquest at the Guildhall in London heard that Khan had been released from prison 11 months earlier under strict licence conditions and was under investigation by counter-terrorism police and MI5.

But the “manipulative and duplicitous” terrorist hid his murderous intent from those tasked with keeping the public safe, the hearing was told.

The jury found the victims had been “unlawfully killed” and confirmed basic facts surrounding their deaths.

It concluded failings in Khan’s management in the community and information-sharing and guidance by agencies responsible for monitoring or investigating Khan contributed to the deaths.

Jurors also found omissions or deficiencies in the organisation of the event at Fishmongers’ Hall and its security contributed to the deaths.

In a narrative conclusion, the jury highlighted “unacceptable management and lack of accountability”, “serious deficiencies in the management of Khan” by the multi-agency organisation responsible for public safety and “insufficient experience and training”.

The jury added there was a “blind spot to Khan’s unique risk due to a ‘poster boy’ image.”

On information sharing, the jury identified “missed opportunity for those with expertise and experience to give guidance”.

On the organisation of the event itself, the jury found there was “lack of communication and accountability, and inadequate consideration of key guidance between parties”.

The hearing was told that Khan had spent eight years in jail for plotting to set up a terror training camp in Pakistan. Behind bars, he had become more dangerous amid incidents of violence and extremist bullying, jurors were told.

On his release in December 2018, he was assessed as being a “very high risk of serious harm” to the public. Probation officers responsible for Khan lacked experience of dealing with terrorist offenders, jurors heard.

Jurors had considered their conclusions after hearing evidence from 84 witnesses over six weeks.