One of the
men accused of hacking to
death a British soldier in
London made his first court
appearance on Monday, as his
co-accused attended a second
hearing via videolink from
prison.
Michael Adebolajo, 28, had a
bandaged left hand and was
holding a Koran as he appeared
at Westminster Magistrates’
Court in London to be formally
charged with murdering soldier
Lee Rigby on May 22.
He and the other suspect,
Michael Adebowale, 22, were
shot by police during their
arrest at the scene of the brutal
daylight attack near the army
barracks where Rigby was based
in Woolwich, southeast London.
Both men are Muslim converts
of Nigerian descent, and the
murder is being investigated by
counter-terrorism officers.
Adebolajo spent nine days in
hospital before being
discharged on Friday. He has
been charged with the murder
of the soldier and the
attempted murder of two police
officers and possession of a
firearm.
Wearing a white T-shirt and
white trousers as he appeared
in the dock, he blew a kiss to a
man in the public gallery, and
they both pointed to the sky.
Asked to stand at the end of
the short hearing, Adebolajo
said: “May I ask why? May I ask
why?” When told it is customary
to stand, he said: “I want to
sit.”
Standing, he asked Deputy Chief
Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot: “I
would like to alleviate the pain
if I may?” He then kissed the
Koran and raised his arm into
the air.
Adebolajo from Romford in
Essex, east of London, was
remanded in custody to appear
at the Old Bailey central
criminal court in London within
48 hours.
The other main suspect in the
case, Adebowale, later appeared
at the Old Bailey via video-link.
No application was made for
bail during the brief hearing,
and a new court date was set
for June 28.
Adebowale, from Greenwich in
southeast London, spent six
days in hospital before being
discharged last Tuesday. He
appeared in court on Thursday
charged with murder and
possession of a firearm.
An inquest into Rigby’s death
heard that he was run over by a
car before being attacked by
two men armed with a cleaver
and a knife, on a quiet
suburban street in the middle
of the afternoon.
Legal restrictions prohibit the
reporting of further details.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/second-suspect-in-london-soldier-murder-appears-in-court/