LONDON — The wife of the terrorist who attacked U.K.’s parliament has spoken out, saying she is “saddened and shocked” and condemned his actions.
Rohey Hydara, the wife of Khalid Masood, expressed her condolences and wished a “speedy recovery" to the people hurt in the attack, in a statement given to London’s Metropolitan Police.
The full statement read: “I am saddened and shocked by what Khalid has done. I totally condemn his actions. I express my condolences to the families of the victims that have died, and wish a speedy recovery to all the injured. I would like to request privacy for our family, especially the children, at this difficult time.”
Masood killed three civilians when he plowed a rented four-wheel drive vehicle into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge at what police believe was a speed of up to 76 mph on March 22. He then fatally stabbed a police officer before being shot dead outside the House of Commons — the whole incident unfolded within 82 seconds, according to authorities.
Hydara is believed to have been Masood’s second wife. Masood, 52, was reported to have at least three children from two marriages.
The terrorist’s mother also made a statement to police saying she was “numbed” by his actions.
"Since discovering that it was my son that was responsible I have shed many tears for the people caught up in this horrendous incident,” Janet Ajao, said in a statement released Tuesday. "I wish to make it absolutely clear, so there can be no doubt, I do not condone his actions nor support the beliefs he held that led to him committing this atrocity.”
For their part, the family of Kurt Cochran, an American who was killed in the attack, said they bear no ill will toward the terrorist.
Police are actively investigating Masood’s motive for the attack.
The British-born attacker’s method appeared to be “based on low sophistication, low tech, low cost techniques copied from other attacks,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for U.K. counter-terrorism policing, said Tuesday in a statement.
Basu said police have established “when, where and how Masood committed his atrocities, but now I need to know why. Most importantly, so do the victims and families.”
The coroner’s formal inquest into the deaths of Masood’s four victims will be opened Wednesday.
