British police has identified the Westminster attacker as Khalid Masood.
Masood, 52, was born in Kent, southeast of London, and who has until recently been living in central England. The police said Masood had a number of criminal convictions including for assaults and GBH (grievous bodily harm), possession of offensive weapons and public order offenses. He has not been convicted for terrorism-related offenses. Masood's first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last conviction was in December 2003 for possession of a knife. He did figure in a violent extremism case a few years ago but was considered only a minor actor in the case and was not convicted. Metropolitan police said Masood had been known also for using several other aliases. Masood had been staying in a property in Birmingham's Winson Green neighborhood until December. He was living with a woman and a young child.
The authorities also found out that the car used in the attack had been hired from rental company Enterprise's Spring Hill branch based in Birmingham.
Prime Minister Theresa May earlier said that the attacker was born in Britain. May said that the case is " historic" and the attacker, though known to police authorities, "had not been part of current intelligence picture".
British police have made 8 arrests today in 6 locations in relation to Wednesday's Westminster attack. Earlier today, ISIS claimed responsibility for the deadly attack and said the attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State". The group did not name the attacker nor did they provide any other details. The attack left four people dead and 40 others injured. 29 of those injured remain in the hospital, seven of whom are in critical condition.
The London attack happened on the first anniversary of the Brussels attacks which killed 32 people last year.
