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| Westminster car crash driver Salih Khater jailed for life | Westminster car crash driver Salih Khater jailed for life |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man who drove at cyclists and police officers outside Parliament has been jailed for life for attempted murder. | A man who drove at cyclists and police officers outside Parliament has been jailed for life for attempted murder. |
| Salih Khater, 30, of Highgate Street, Birmingham, aimed his car at members of the public before swerving towards the officers in Parliament Square on 14 August 2018. | Salih Khater, 30, of Highgate Street, Birmingham, aimed his car at members of the public before swerving towards the officers in Parliament Square on 14 August 2018. |
| He must serve at least 15 years in jail, the Old Bailey judge said. | He must serve at least 15 years in jail, the Old Bailey judge said. |
| Khater was accused of attempting to cause maximum carnage, and it was said to be "miraculous" no-one was killed. | Khater was accused of attempting to cause maximum carnage, and it was said to be "miraculous" no-one was killed. |
| The court was told he tried to "kill as many people as possible" with his Ford Fiesta. | The court was told he tried to "kill as many people as possible" with his Ford Fiesta. |
| CCTV footage showed how he careered into a security lane and crashed into barriers as two police officers jumped out of the way. | CCTV footage showed how he careered into a security lane and crashed into barriers as two police officers jumped out of the way. |
| Alison Morgan QC told jurors Khater's attack was "premeditated and deliberate" and had a terrorist motive. | Alison Morgan QC told jurors Khater's attack was "premeditated and deliberate" and had a terrorist motive. |
| The defendant claimed he had driven to London to find the Sudanese embassy to get a visa but "got lost" around Westminster and panicked. | The defendant claimed he had driven to London to find the Sudanese embassy to get a visa but "got lost" around Westminster and panicked. |
| However, a jury rejected his explanation for the crash and found him guilty of two charges of attempted murder in July. | However, a jury rejected his explanation for the crash and found him guilty of two charges of attempted murder in July. |
| In mitigation, Peter Carter QC told the court Khater had still not offered an explanation for what he did. | In mitigation, Peter Carter QC told the court Khater had still not offered an explanation for what he did. |
| He argued: "The lack of evidence is not a proper basis for drawing a conclusion there is evidence of a terrorist connection." | He argued: "The lack of evidence is not a proper basis for drawing a conclusion there is evidence of a terrorist connection." |
| But Mrs Justice McGowan found Khater had deliberately copied terrorists. | |
| "Your undoubted intention was to kill as many people as possible and by doing so spread fear and terror," she said; adding that he had "replicated the acts of others who undoubtedly have acted with terrorist motives". | "Your undoubted intention was to kill as many people as possible and by doing so spread fear and terror," she said; adding that he had "replicated the acts of others who undoubtedly have acted with terrorist motives". |
| The court heard Khater was born in Sudan before being granted asylum in Britain in 2010, claiming he had been tortured in his birth country. | The court heard Khater was born in Sudan before being granted asylum in Britain in 2010, claiming he had been tortured in his birth country. |
| In the months before the attack, Khater had showed signs of "paranoia" about British authorities, emailing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to express concern about an "event" involving the intelligence services. | In the months before the attack, Khater had showed signs of "paranoia" about British authorities, emailing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to express concern about an "event" involving the intelligence services. |
| Richard Smith, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "This was a man who used his car as a weapon to attempt to kill as many people as possible, spreading fear and terror. | |
| "It was our view that this attack was carried out with a terrorist purpose and the sentence confirms this," he added. |