LONDON: The British soldier killed by suspected extremists in London last week was run over before being attacked by two men armed with a cleaver and a knife, an inquest heard yesterday.
The inquest into the brutal murder of Lee Rigby on May 22 in Woolwich, southeast London, was opened and adjourned shortly before Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to the barracks where he had lived and near where he died.
The royal engagement was planned long before the attack but the 87-year-old monarch intended to mark Rigby’s death privately by meeting with some of the officers and soldiers who worked with him, a spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said.
In another development, police announced the arrest of their eleventh suspect over the attack, which is being investigated by Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism branch. A 42-year-old man was arrested in north London on suspicion of being involved in the supply of illegal firearms.
One man, Michael Adebowale, 22, has been charged with murder while the other main suspect, Michael Adebolajo, 28, remains under arrest in hospital. Both men were shot by police at the scene.
Of the other people arrested, two women were released without charge and six men accused of conspiracy to murder are out on bail.
In a brief hearing, the coroner’s court heard that Rigby, an army recruiting officer, was killed as he returned home after a day working at the Tower of London, his regimental headquarters.
The 25-year-old had to be identified by a dental expert, the inquest heard. A post-mortem examination had already found that he died from multiple cut and stab wounds.
AFP
