Lee Rigby Murderers Sentenced to Life in Prison

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Michael Adebolajo has been sentenced to a "life means life" prison term for the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby while Michael Adebowale was sentenced to life with a minimum of 45 years

The Islamist killers of Drummer Lee Rigby erupted into violence in an Old Bailey courtroom as they were sentenced for murder.

Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, had to be manhandled out of court by security guards after being told by Mr Justice Sweeney that their crime was a "betrayal of Islam".

Michael Adebowale stood up and shouted: "I swear by Allah that America and Britain will never have any safety. Allah Akbar."

His co-defendant, Michael Adebolajo, also stood up and began shouting before eight dock officers grabbed both killers and wrestled them to the floor.

Relatives of Drummer Rigby, sitting just feet away, stood up and cowered away from the violence.

Adebolajo was manhandled down the stairs in the historic Court No 2 but, in scenes lasting several minutes, his co-defendant was held to the floor and cuffed before being carried downstairs head first.

Drummer Rigby's widow Rebecca was left sobbing uncontrollably at the scenes.

Mr Justice Sweeney resumed his sentencing to give Adebolajo a whole life tariff, meaning he will die in jail.

Adebowale was given life with a minimum term of 45 years. The pair had reacted to the judge's comments that after they became extremists they began "espousing a cause and views which ... are a betrayal of Islam".

Adebowale called out "That's a lie" and "It's not a betrayal of Islam, you don't know what Islam is" as the struggle erupted in the dock. » | David Barrett and Claire Carter | Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Lee Rigby Murder: Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale Found Guilty

Michael Adebolajo (left) and Michael Adebowale

THE GUARDIAN: Old Bailey jury finds pair guilty of fatally attacking soldier in street near Woolwich barracks in south London

Two men have been convicted of murdering a soldier in broad daylight near a military barracks in London, in the first al-Qaida-inspired attack to claim a life on British soil since 7 July 2005.

Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, murdered Lee Rigby, 25, as he returned to the Woolwich barracks in south London, in May.

They were convicted after a trial at the Old Bailey in central London, which heard that the soldier was almost beheaded in the attack.

The jury took just over 90 minutes to reach its verdicts. Both men were found not guilty of the attempted murder of a police officer. Relatives of Rigby cried as the verdicts were given.

Rigby's stepfather, Ian, wiped away tears and put his arm around the soldier's mother, Lyn, who was sobbing.

Mr Justice Sweeney, who ordered that the decisions be heard in silence, said he would pass sentence after a key appeal court ruling on the use of whole life terms in January.

Adebolajo looked at the press and kissed his Qur'an as he was taken to the court cells.

Adebolajo, from Romford, Essex, and Adebowale, from Greenwich, south London, claimed they were soldiers of Allah and their violence was a reprisal against western foreign policy, which had led to the deaths of Muslims. » | Vikram Dodd and Josh Halliday | Thursday, December 19, 2013

Read the Telegraph article here | Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | Thursday, December 19, 2013

Woolwich Trial: Lee Rigby Was Victim of 'Barbarous' Attack, Court Hears

THE GUARDIAN: Trial begins of Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, accused of killing soldier near London barracks


Two men staged a "barbarous" attack on a British soldier, knocking him down with a car before mutilating him with knives and a cleaver as they attempted to behead him, the jury heard at the opening of the Woolwich murder trial at the Old Bailey.

Lee Rigby, 25, was killed in broad daylight in a street close to the Woolwich military barracks in south London as he walked back to his barracks. The incident occurred within yards of a primary school, the jury was told.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale deny murdering the soldier in a London street in May 2013. They are standing trial at the Old Bailey in central London.

Beginning the case, the prosecutor Richard Whittam QC told the jury the two men had committed a "cowardly and callous" attack on Rigby and had "mutilated his body with a meat cleaver and knives".

The attack happened just after 2pm on 22 May 2013. A Vauxhall Tigra was driven straight at Fusilier Rigby as he walked across Artillery Place. The car hit him at 30-40mph and crashed into a road sign.

Whittam said: "From eyewitness accounts it appears that Lee Rigby was rendered unconscious by that deliberate act. The car carried him from the road on to the pavement."

The jury were told by the prosecutor: "Both men got out. They were clearly acting together with a common purpose.

"The two men were armed with a meat cleaver and knives. They also had a firearm, a revolver, with them.

"They both attacked the motionless body of Lee Rigby." » | Vikram Dodd, Josh Hallidaay and Matthew Taylor | Friday, November 29, 2013