London Bridge attackers could have targeted Oxford Street, inquest hears
Eight people were killed when Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba launched their van and knife attack in June 2017.
Terrorists behind one of London’s bloodiest attacks could have been targeting Oxford Street but diverted to London Bridge on route, an inquest heard.
Eight people were killed and 48 more were hurt when Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, launched their van and knife attack on June 3 2017.
The court was told a mobile phone was later found in their van with directions to London’s busy shopping district.
Afterwards, police also uncovered “viable” petrol bombs in the hire van and fake suicide vests, he said.
The court was shown CCTV of the attackers making their final preparations.
DCI Jolley told the court that all three attackers were working together by at least January 14 2017.
They regularly trained at the Ummah Fitness Centre in Ilford and went on Sunday swimming trips to Stratford.
On May 14, Redouane was pictured at Butt’s barbecue celebrating the birth of his daughter.
On May 29, the attackers were seen on CCTV footage meeting at to the fitness centre.
The following day, Redouane went back to the same Lidl to buy wine bottles for the makeshift petrol bombs.
DNA analysis suggested Redouane also made the fake suicide belts, with help from Zaghba, the court heard.
Shortly before midday on June 3, Butt had gone walking with his family in a park. He was captured on CCTV withdrawing cash to hire the van, accompanied by his oldest child.
Later, Butt made an online booking to hire a van from Hertz.
He had tried to hire a seven-and-a-half tonne lorry but the branch he had requested to collect it from had closed at 11am that day, the court heard.
At around 4.30pm all the attackers were outside Butt’s block, with Redouane accompanied by his child.
CCTV footage showed them travelling together in Redouane’s red Corsa to pick up the hire van and 29 bags of gravel to add weight from a B&Q store in Harold Hill, Romford.
The attackers stopped off in the van at a Shell garage at 7.54pm, where they bought diesel, drinks and snack bars before heading to Butt’s Barking address.
While there, the attackers loaded up black plastic chairs before setting off at 8.55pm towards central London.
They mounted the kerb and launched their attack on the bridge just before 10.07pm.
Within 10 minutes, the terrorists had been shot dead by police marksmen.
