British communities minister Eric Pickles said Friday that both police and security bodies would answer questions about their approach in handling the two men who allegedly gashed an English soldier to death on a London boulevard in Woolwich two days ago.
According to the New York Times, British security officials stated Thursday that MI5, a local security agency, knew the suspects in the years before the brutal attack, in which the men used cleavers and knives to mutilate the soldier.
In a radio interview, Mr. Pickles responded to a question concerning potential legislation that would add electronic surveillance, known as "snoopers' charter" by those that oppose the invasive supervision. Could more video cameras on the street have helped in preventing these attacks?
"I know of nothing that would suggest that provisions that were in the bill would have made any difference in this case or would have saved the life of the young member of the armed forces," he said.
Mr. Pickles also said that the cruel nature of the killings has pushed authorities to do all they can to prevent these kinds of atrocities from happening-that could mean increased security and police presence.
"I think it's probably too soon to assess the powers we need," Mr. Pickles continued during the interview. "But, once the investigation is through, both aspects of the security services and aspects of the policing of these two individuals will be thoroughly investigated and no doubt recommendations will come out of that."
Officials say that the two suspects were radical British Muslim men with origins in Nigeria. The BBC identified one man as Michael Adebolajo, a 28-year-old man who was raised Christian in Romford, East London. He became Muslim in 2001 and joined a militant Muslim group, Al Muhajiroun, that was banned in Britain in 2010 after praising the terrorists that carried out Sept. 11's attacks. The second suspect was identified as Michael Adebowale, 22.
The deceased, 25-year-old Lee Rigby, was a member of the army's band, as well as a machine gunner that fought in Afghanistan. He was the father of a 2-year-old boy. He was walking down the street to visit his mother when he was met by Adebolajo and Adebowale, who cleaved Rigby to death.
A video shot after the killings depicts one of the suspects wielding a thick, gleaming butcher's knife, splattered with blood. His hands are red with the remains of the slain man.
"The only reason we killed this man is because Muslims are dying daily," he says rapidly. "This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We apologize that women had to see this today, but in our lands, our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government. They don't care about you."
