LONDON — More details have emerged about the assailant behind the attack in north London on Monday that killed one and injured 11 people.
The Guardian reports that suspect has been identified as Darren Osborne, a 47-year-old father of four from Cardiff, Wales. On Sunday, Osborne rented a van in the area and drove more than 150 miles to Finsbury Park, where he mowed down pedestrians near a mosque.
When surrounded by an angry mob, he claimed the attack was for the London Bridge incident, and said he wanted to kill all Muslims. An Imam stepped in to protect him, dissuading the crowd from exacting revenge and insisting that the terrorist be handed over to police.
Osborne had reportedly turned antagonistic towards Muslims in the wake of Islamist attacks on London. A neighbor he’d previously been friendly with claimed he hurled a racial insult at her son only recently, according to the Telegraph.
The night before the attack, Osborne was thrown out of a pub for cursing out Muslims and saying he would do some damage.
Authorities have begun investigating Osborne, searching his home and getting statements from people who knew him. He was not known to security agencies, and did not appear to be a actively involved in any far right organization.
