Fishmongers’ Hall terrorist identified as threat by MI5 11 days before attack, court hears

Usman Khan was allowed to travel to the rehabilitation event where he launched his attack and organisers were not warned

Floral tributes are left for Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, who were killed in a terror attack on 29 November 2019 (Peter Summers/Getty Images)

A terrorist who stabbed two victims to death at a rehabilitation event had been identified as a threat 11 days before the attack, a court has heard.

MI5 and counter-terror police identified Usman Khan, who was previously jailed over a bomb plot, as being increasingly withdrawn and at risk of re-engaging in Islamist extremist activity at a meeting on 18 November 2019.

Jesse Nicholls, representing the family of victim Jack Merritt, said they knew he was intending to attend an event held by Cambridge University's Learning Together scheme at Fishmongers’ Hall.

But despite the central London location and high-profile guests, they did not stop Khan going or alert organisers, Mr Nicholls said.

Khan arrived at the event on 29 November 2019 concealing a fake suicide vest and two knives.

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He launched a violent rampage where he killed Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, who had both worked on the Learning Together scheme.

Khan, who was fought and chased by other attendees, fled outside and onto London Bridge, where he was shot dead by armed police.

It was followed by three more terror attacks carried out by serving or released prisoners, at HMP Whitemoor, Streatham and Reading.

A full inquest is due to start on 12 April before Mark Lucraft QC, the chief coroner of England and Wales.

At a preliminary hearing on Thursday, a public interest immunity (PII) application was made for some material to remain secret in the interests of national security.

Mr Nicholls, for the Merritt family, said the evidence in question was “of central relevance to one of, if not the central issue in these inquests - whether the attack could and should have been prevented”.

The government said the proposals were a response to the attack at Fishmongers’ Hall in November, when Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones were killed (@jackdavidmerritt/Instagram)

He added that the evidence currently in the public domain led to “significant concern that opportunities were missed to prevent Khan's attack”.

The 28-year-old had been jailed for his part in an al-Qaeda-inspired bomb plot in 2012, which had included potential targets in central London.

MI5 reopened its investigation into Khan in August 2018, around four months before he was automatically freed from prison.

MI5 had long-held concerns about him and he was assessed at or near the “very highest level” of risk up to his release from jail, the court heard.

A previous hearing was told that Khan’s prison record showed that he had been radicalising other inmates, encouraging violence inside jail, continued to hold extremist views and had been recruiting for extremist groups.

Security services were informed that he intended to re-engage in terrorism-related activity, including carrying out an attack, following his release, Mr Nicholls said.

The order of service is pictured for the memorial service of Saskia Jones, a victim of the terror attack in Fishmongers’ Hall, on December 20, 2019 (AFP via Getty Images)

And both MI5 and counter-terrorism police continued to have concerns about Khan in the months leading to the attack, it was alleged.

Khan was subject to active monitoring and MI5 was concerned that his apparent compliance may have been a manipulative attempt to avoid scrutiny from the authorities, the court heard.

Mr Nicholls said that if the PII application is upheld, Mr Merritt’s family will call for a public inquiry, because an inquest would not have the power to answer “central questions”.

He added: “It is what Jack would have wanted. For them, they want it to be got right.”

Jonathan Hough QC, counsel to the inquests, said that if the PII application is successful, consideration should be made as to whether the inquest could carry out a “satisfactory” investigation or if a public inquiry is needed.

The inquest will include a large amount of witness and documentary evidence on the critical decision to allow Khan to travel to London, he said.

The security service's “witness A” could be questioned on key information received by MI5 and whether it was shared with others.

There is no suggestion that the PII material contains evidence of attack planning, the court was told.

Mr Hough said there is no evidence that Khan did anything in public that would point to attack planning or that he shared his plans with anyone.

Following submissions in open court, the pre-inquest hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice continued with the PII application in a closed hearing.

Additional reporting by PA