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Who is the Reading terror suspect Khairi Saadallah?

THREE men died and three others were seriously injured in a knife rampage at a park in Reading.

Police have confirmed the multiple stabbings are being treated as a terror attack as the suspect was named as Khairi Saadallah.

First picture of Khairi Saadallah
First picture of Khairi Saadallah

Who is the Reading terror suspect?

The Reading terror suspect was first named as Khairi Saadallah by the Telegraph.

He is a 25-year-old Libyan who came to Britain as an asylum seeker.

Sources reportedly claimed Saadallah was known to officers, and had previously spent at least 12 months in jail for minor offences.

The BBC said these were not linked to terrorism, and Sky News reported they were "violence related".

Usually asylum seekers convicted in the UK would be deported, but the suspect is understood to have remained here due to conflict in Libya.


The Libyan Civil War has been raging since 2014, and followed a previous eight-month conflict which raged in 2011.

Police in Reading initially said the June 20 rampage was not being treated as a terror attack.

However, it was confirmed the following morning that Counter Terrorism Policing South East have taken over the probe.

No further details of a possible motive have been released, but mental health is being considered as a major factor, a source told the PA.

Saadallah arrived in the UK in 2012 as a tourist before claiming asylum on the grounds that his life was being threatened by Islamists in Libya, the Mail reported.

A relative told the Mail: "He was at risk of extremists in Libya because he liked to drink and socialise and didn't really lead a strict religious life at all."

Saadallah, 25, was reportedly already on MI5's radar
Saadallah, 25, was reportedly already on MI5's radar

Saadallah has at least one previous conviction for a "minor violent offence", Sky News reported, and he is thought to have spent at least 12 months in jail.

He was being supervised by the National Probation Service, the Guardian reported, and court reports suggest a number of additional convictions for a man of the same name, age, and address.

None of the suspect’s previous convictions are believed to be terror-related, but security sources have told the BBC he was known to MI5.

The head of counter terrorism policing, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said police were not seeking anyone else as part of the investigation.

Forensic tents at the scene of the stabbing Reading
Forensic tents at the scene of the stabbing ReadingCredit: Hyde News & Pictures Ltd

What happened in the attack?

Multiple people were stabbed around 7pm after the knifeman approached a group of middle aged men "sitting drinking beer".

It is thought the group may have picked up takeaway beers from a nearby pub just moments before the attack in Forbury Gardens.

Distressing video showed people covered in blood and not moving as they lay on the ground.

The suspect was reportedly "rugby-tackled" by a hero cop and arrested on suspicion of murder.

Cops confirmed the morning after the attack that three people had died, and three others were seriously wounded.

Police officers in forensic suits walk near Forbury Gardens in Reading
Police officers in forensic suits walk near Forbury Gardens in ReadingCredit: Reuters

Speaking on June 21, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "I am appalled and sickened that people should lose their lives in this way and our thoughts are very much with the families and friends of the victims today.

"I have obviously talked to the Chief Constable of Thames Valley police, thanked him and his officers for their bravery in tackling the suspect.

"We now have someone in custody, the police must get on with their job, get on with getting to the bottom of exactly what happened so it will be difficult to comment in detail.

"Except to say this - if there are lessons we need to learn about how we handle such cases, how we handle the events leading up to such cases, then we will learn those lessons, and we will not hesitate to take action where necessary."

One eyewitness, who was about 10 metres from the scene, said the attack looked "completely random".

Lawrence Wort, 20, a personal trainer from Chippenham, said: "A lot of people sat around drinking with friends when one lone person walked through, suddenly shouted some unintelligible words and went around a large group of around 10, trying to stab them.


"When he realised that he couldn't catch us, he tried to stab another group sat down, he got one person in the back of the neck and then when he realised everyone was starting to run, he ran out the park."

Moment police arrest 'Libyan knifeman who stabbed three people to death'