Crime Files
The Murder of Lee Rigby
On 22 May 2013, oldier Lee Rigby was murdered by Islamic extremists
Aftermath
“It was the barbaric reality of terrorism on our land...it’s left an indelible print on society”Dr Abdul Haqq Baker – former chairman of Brixton mosque and founder of STREET UK.
Intelligence agencies are aware that there is little they can do to combat this new form of terrorism. The killers received no training and indeed had no contact with organisations like al-Qaeda and yet they were able to make a huge media impact:“This was an incredibly successful attack...obviously there are far more lethal attacks out there. But it got a huge amount of media coverage.” Professor Andrew Silke – Programme Director for Terrorism studies, University of East London.
But as successful as it was in capturing the headlines, the killers ultimately failed to achieve anything tangible. Community relations were strengthened not divided by the killing. Admittedly, there were some low-level outbreaks of violence by right-wing groups targeting Muslims and mosques. But the general view was that these were as senseless and pointless as the killing of Lee Rigby. Not surprisingly, foreign policy stayed exactly the same and, if anything, support, or at least empathy, for the troops increased. And of course, the murderers failed to martyr themselves, or persuade anyone that they themselves were soldiers.
But for the family of Lee Rigby, and the witnesses who saw his last shocking moments, life has forever changed. As much as Tina Nimmo has tried to move on from that day, the scene she witnessed still seeps into her mind and still haunt hers. And where once she was happy to see uniformed soldiers on her streets, now she is fearful:“(Woolwich barracks) been a garrison for many years and...we’ve...got so much in pride in the borough in our armed forces...We see the soldiers walking about...all their gear on. And they’ve never been bothered and you actually feel quite proud. But not anymore: It doesn’t feel like that. If I see a soldier with his gear on, I think ‘go and take it off because you’re going to be identified.”Lee’s son Jack was just two when his father was taken from him.
In July 2013, he attended the funeral wearing a T-shirt that said, ‘My Daddy, My Hero’. Thousands lined the streets to pay their respects:“Heaven has gained a hero”. Writing on the wreath laid in respect of Lee Rigby. In July 2014, Adebolajo, lost the first stage of his appeal. By this stage, some estimate that the pair have received over £200,000 in legal aid.
Trial
Six months after the killing of Lee Rigby, proceedings began in November 2013 at the Old Bailey in London. Eye witness Tina Nimmo and her daughter dreaded what they, and many others, saw as an unnecessary trial; not least for the pain it would cause the Rigby family: “...That was very hard...to think that we’d both have to go to court and relive our experience with his mum and dad there...we didn’t want to put them through that. It felt like we were inflicting that pain on them. But actually, the police told us that they’re already informed of what happened so that sort of takes the burden off you a bit. You’re okay to say how it was.”
The two accused sat quietly. Adebowale was judged fit to stand trial but he had severe mental health episodes. Adebolajo who wanted to be known as Mujaahid Abu Hamza. Mujaahid Abu Hamza had lost two front teeth in a confrontation with prison officers. He may have lost his chance to be a martyr, but the trial did afford him the opportunity to repeat the message that he and his accomplice were ‘soldiers of Allah’. Their defence was simple. Yes, they killed. But they were soldiers. They killed a soldier. This was war. But this was never a military court-martial. A jury of twelve civilians – eight women and four men – would decide their fate. And outside the court room, there was virtually no support from other Muslims: “This is not representative of Islam in any shape or form, the vast majority of Muslims do not subscribe to the extremist rhetoric and distorted warped understanding of these murderers...the vast majority of Muslims in this society are proud to be Muslim, British, and participating in this particular society.” Dr Abdul Haqq Baker – former chairman of Brixton mosque and founder of STREET UK.
Adebowale’s lawyers offered no evidence in his defence other than to say he agreed with Adebolajo. The court listened to over three weeks of harrowing evidence detailing exactly what had happened on that May afternoon in Woolwich. On the 19 December the jury returned a unanimous verdict: Guilty. Both the two guilty men remained calm during the verdicts. But when, two months later, it came to the sentencing, their reaction was markedly different. BUTCHERED Mr Justice Sweeney said the pair had ‘butchered’ Lee Rigby. After, he said that instead of being ‘soldiers for Allah’, they had betrayed Islam, both men started shouting and struggling. Security guards carried the convicted men out of the dock. Adebolajo had received a whole life term. He will die in jail. Adebowale got a 45 year minimum sentence. He would be nearly 70 before he would even be considered for release.
The Prime Minister (David Cameron) publicly stated the whole country welcomed the prison terms given. And Tina Nimmo agreed: “They should never be out again, never ever. I understand people that say ‘people can change.’ ...Whatever...They’ve done what they’ve done, they’ve told us what they’ve done, they’ve put their hands up to it. Their times up. That’s the end of that. He hasn’t got a life and nor should they have.” The Rigby family also said they welcomed the sentences. And then they showed, very simply, how utterly the killers had failed. “...usually the family of a murder victim are taken away in cars (but the Rigby family) walked out of the Old Bailey. A group of them...just walked down the street...turned right, walked along that street, then turned left down to...the river. It’s almost like, now these two have been convicted and (are) behind bars, we want to show we’re not afraid to walk the streets of our capital...we’re not going to be intimidated by this. You know, we are going to walk our streets in broad daylight and feel safe.” Vikram Dodd - Crime Reporter, The Guardian
Investigation
The Investigation
“They genuinely see themselves as soldiers fighting a war. They do not see themselves as criminals and they do not see themselves as psychopaths. They see themselves as soldiers fighting a war...between good and evil. This is a genuine belief. I’ve interviewed many jihadi terrorists and at the time that their engaged in violence they genuinely believe they are doing the right thing...” Professor Andrew Silke – Programme Director for Terrorism studies, University of East London.
By the middle of June 2013, both Adebowale and Adebolajo were released from hospital and charged with Lee Rigby’s murder. Their police interviews would reveal the true evil behind their actions. Adebelajo sat with a blue blanket. At one point he said, ‘the soldier is the most fair target’. He added: “When he crossed the road in front of me, it was almost as if I was not in control of myself. I accelerated, I hit him...We wished to fulfil our promise to Allah, we did not wish to give him much pain. I could see he was still alive...I’m not sure how I struck the first blow. The most humane way to kill any creature is to cut the jugular. May be my enemy but he is a man, so I struck at the neck and attempted to remove the head.”
In the Lee Rigby case, the investigation wasn’t to find who the killers were. It was to ascertain if the two killers were mentally fit to stand trial. “Adebowale had mental health problems...he had effects from that attack he witnessed from the age of 16. He still heard the voice of his attacker. He had also problems associated with the use of skunk...He heard sometimes voices...he talked about in his assessments about hearing spirits called ‘Jinns’. So he had pretty clear mental health problems but was still responsible for his actions. Adebolajo on the other hand, the more dominant...of the two, is assessed to be absolutely sane.” Vikram Dodd - Crime Reporter, The Guardian Detectives interviewed him. After weeks of assessment, a trial date was set.
Arrest
In the dazed moments after the butchering of Lee Rigby, one of the women asked the two killers if they were going to harm anyone else. Adebolajo replied; “No. The women and children are safe. You need to keep back when the police and the soldiers get here’
Unarmed police arrived at 14:29. It will be another five minutes before armed response arrives. “They ...know that the police are not going to intervene immediately because they’re going to have to wait for armed officers. That means...10-15 minutes...waiting for armed officers. In truth they could have attacked members of the public during this time. They could have just gone after anyone who was there but they don’t do that...you have them talking to people allowing themselves to be filmed, knowing that this was going to be posted online in the aftermath. Even if some of the main stream news sources didn’t want to publish it, it was still going to get out there.” Professor Andrew Silke – Programme Director for Terrorism studies, University of East London.
Adebolajo and Adebowale had made their barbarically simple point. They didn’t need to kill anymore. Now, it was them who wanted to die. “...they wanted the armed police to shoot them dead. So they would become martyrs.” Vikram Dodd - Crime Reporter, The Guardian.
At 14:34 the police shot the two men. Both Adebolajo and Adebowale went down. But the police had merely made sure they were wounded and incapacitated. Adebolajo had been shot through his bicep. The two killers would not be made martyrs. The same officers who shot them, now administer first-aid. And both men were then sped to hospital.
At 2am the next morning, Lee’s mother’s worst fears are confirmed. It was then she was informed of her son’s murder. Even the press realise the extraordinarily shocking and sudden nature of the killing. They agree to withdraw from the family’s immediate area and wait for a formal statement.