Whitehall terror suspect arrested 'was a close friend of 'White Beast' jihadi who died while fighting for Al-Shabaab group in Kenya' 

  • Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali was an aid worker who had travelled to Gaza
  • Jihadi Thomas Evans was also in the group who travelled there from London
  • Evans was shot while fighting for the African terrorist group al-Shabaab in 2015
  • Sally Evans reported her son to the authorities following the journey to Gaza

The terror suspect found with a 'rucksack full of knives' near Parliament Square was allegedly a friend of a British jihadist known as the 'White Beast' who died fighting for the al-Shabaab terror group. 

It was revealed by MailOnline that Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali was an aid worker who had travelled in a relief convoy to Gaza.

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But now it has emerged that jihadi Thomas Evans was also in the group who travelled there from London with the charity Road to Hope in 2010, according to reports.

Evans was shot in Kenya while fighting for the African terrorist group al-Shabaab in 2015.

Whitehall terror suspect Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali, pictured, was on the same trip to Gaza in 2010 as jihadi Thomas Evans
Thomas Evans, pictured, was shot in Kenya while fighting for the African terrorist group al-Shabaab in 2015

He had been linked to the world's most wanted woman - 'White Widow' Samantha Lewthwaite - over an attack that left 50 innocent villagers dead in the Kenyan countryside in June 2014.

His mother told The Sunday Telegraph that she believes her son was radicalised on the aid trip which saw the pair stuck in Libya.

Sally Evans - who reported her son to the authorities following the journey to Gaza - said: 'After he returned from that trip he began interpreting Islam more strongly. He was upset about he had seen there.

'He was already a Muslim but he became more radicalised on his return. I do feel that was the case.

'It needs to be investigated. I'm shocked they were both on the same trip.' 

In footage of the convoy, Ali can be seen with a Palestine banner tied round round his head.

Footage from 2010 shows a young Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali - now 27 - sitting excitedly in the front of his van as he prepares to drive from London to Gaza
In the clip, Ali can be seen with a Palestine banner tied round round his head prior to the aid convoy starting its journey

Looking straight at the camera, he says: 'We are all getting together now, alhamdulillah, the vans are all done, energy is here, the sunshine is here, alhamdulillah...

'You are going to see in action - the youth - doing our thing, all day long. We did it in Tottenham, we are going to do it in Gaza; taking it to another level. One love.'

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Their journey was fraught with problems and several of the young British members claimed they ended up being held against their will on a Greek ship as they tried to get to Gaza.

It is understood Ali is a British citizen who was born overseas but went to school in Tottenham, north London.

Armed police arrested Ali at Whitehall earlier this week after his concerned family reportedly alerted security services.

Police say Ali was detained after a stop and search in an 'ongoing operation'. He is now being questioned
Aerial photographs show police officers grappling with Ali in the moments as they handcuff and arrest him
He is then led around to the other side of a waiting unmarked police car, in which he was driven to a nearby police station for questioning

He was crossing Whitehall amid the usual crowds of tourists and political staff when a police car suddenly pulled up and officers confronted him, just five weeks after the Westminster terror attack that killed five people.

The suspect is understood to have been tailed from the moment he got off the Underground at St James's Park - where he had travelled from east London - and headed towards Westminster.

While covert teams trailed him on the ground, a live feed was being sent to control rooms in New Scotland Yard and the MI5's Thames House before they gave the order for them to swoop in.

A large number of armed police then flooded the area as Ali was pinned to the ground just yards from Downing Street.

Pictures of forensics officers show at least three knives, a small flick knife, a large one on the ground and another being held
At least three knives were seen laying on the floor after a team of officers swooped and tackled Ali to the ground

He was held against a wall of the Treasury before being taken away in a van to a police station.

He is thought to have been known to police, who kept tabs on him via surveillance cameras on the streets and on the Underground.

It is believed that he had been under round-the-clock surveillance and was tracked by two teams with armed officers on standby, and that his phone and other means of communication were being monitored.

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