The Streatham knife attacker was "definitely insane" and said he wanted to copy the murder of Jo Cox by murdering an MP, according to his former inmate at Belmarsh prison.
Sudesh Amman, 20, was shot dead by police who were trailing him around a minute after launching a knife attack on two bystanders in Streatham High Road on Sunday, February 2.
It was revealed yesterday that he was a convicted terrorist found guilty of possessing and distributing terrorist documents, and he was released from jail less than a fortnight ago.
Now a former prisoner who spent time with Amman inside the high-security Belmarsh Prison in Greenwich has spoken out about the IS supporter, saying he wanted to copy the murder of MP Jo Cox.
The former inmate told the Times: "The guy was definitely insane and he never hid his intentions, so it's crazy how he even got out of jail.
"He wanted to do something real, something organised like the (IRA) used to do."
The man said Amman told him "the only way to get these filthy kafirs (non-believers) out of Syria is to take out MPs like that white guy did with the lady in 2016," The Times reported.
He also kept a notebook in which he wrote that his goals in life were to “die as a shuhada” [martyr] and “go to jannah” [paradise].
Amman was aged just 18 when he admitted 13 terror offences at the Old Bailey in December 2018 including talk of slaughtering apostates and “kuffars” (“infidels”) with a sharp knife, and was jailed for three years and four months.
The Metropolitan Police said he was released from prison on January 23, 2020.
Following criticism and questions about why Amman was released, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said on Monday emergency legislation is needed to make sure terrorists are not released automatically from prison half way through their sentence.
The Parole Board would be "strengthened" to deal more effectively with the risks that terrorists pose and steps would be taken to introduce the plans "as soon as possible", he said.
The Government will also consider making new legislation to ensure that extremists are more closely monitored on release and will review whether the current maximum sentences for terrorist offences are sufficient.
Scotland Yard said armed officers were following Amman on foot as part of a "proactive counter-terrorism surveillance operation" when the incident took place.
Three victims were taken by ambulance to south London hospitals following the attack, with one man in his 40s who was thought to have life-threatening injuries now in a serious but stable condition
A woman in her 50s, a teacher at a nearby school, had non-life threatening injuries and has been discharged from hospital and police said a second woman, in her 20s, who suffered minor injuries believed to have been caused by glass following the discharge of a police firearm, has also left hospital.
Investigations continue with officers also searching two addresses in south London and Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire.
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