Woolwich murder suspect's 'friend' arrested after claiming on Newsnight MI5 tried to recruit Michael Adebolajo

Abu Nusaybah told BBC show suspect turned down offer to work for security service

Abu Nusaybah told Newsnight that Michael Adebolajo had informed him six months ago that the security service had been 'knocking on his door' (BBC)

Police have arrested an alleged friend of the Woolwich murder suspect Michael Adebolajo after he gave an interview to BBC Newsnight in which he claimed the security services had tried to recruit the suspect.

Abu Nusaybah told Newsnight that Adebolajo had informed him six months ago that the security service had been “knocking on his door”. He said Adebolajo had told him he had turned down an offer to work for them. Mr Nusaybah said that his friend was “basically being harassed by MI5”.

In the interview he said: “His wording was, 'They are bugging me - they won't leave me alone.'

”He mentioned initially they wanted to ask him if he knew certain individuals.

“But after him saying that he didn't know these individuals, what he said was they asked him if he would be interested in working for them. He was explicit in that he refused to work for them but he did confirm he didn't know the individuals.”

Shortly after the interview it is understood Mr Nusaybah was met by police and remains under questioning. Police last night confirmed that a 31-year-old man was arrested in London under the Terrorism Act 2000. The police said he was not arrested in connection with the killing of Lee Rigby.

The man remains in custody at a south London police station. Search warrants are being executed at two residential addresses in east London.

Mr Adebolajo and fellow suspect Michael Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich, south-east London, remain in hospital after they were shot by armed officers following the death of Lee Rigby, who was killed in front of dozens of people in Woolwich, south-east London, on Wednesday afternoon.