London attack: 'ISIS terrorist' named by Metropolitan Police‏ as Khalid Masood

The man police believe to be responsible for the terrorist attack in London on Wednesday, March 22, has now been formally identified as Khalid Masood.

Masood, 52, was born in Kent and detectives believe he was most recently living in the West Midlands. Masood was also known by a number of aliases.

Masood was not the subject of any current investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack.

However, he was known to police and has a range of previous convictions for assaults, including grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences.

His first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last conviction was in December 2003 for possession of a knife.

Masood has not been convicted for any terrorism offences.

The Islamic State group — also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) — has reportedly claimed responsibility for the terror attack. The attack, for which seven people have been arrested, has led to the death of at least four people, including a policeman.

A prominent news agency, quoting another agency that is believed to be close to ISIS, confirmed that the attack had been perpetrated by the terrorist group.