Overview

Moroccan citizen Rachid Redouane was one of three men to carry out a terrorist attack in London, England, on June 3, 2017, that killed eight individuals and injured 48 others.“London attack: Who were the attackers?,” BBC News, June 28, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40173157; Tom Cleary, “Youssef Zaghba: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know,” Heavy.com, June 6, 2017, https://heavy.com/news/2017/06/youssef-zaghba-london-bridge-terror-attacks-stabbings-suspect-attacker-killer-name/. In the attack, Redouane, Youssef Zaghba, and suspected ringleader Khuram Butt drove a van into pedestrians on the London Bridge, then continued on foot to the Borough Market area where they stabbed bystanders before police arrived and shot dead all three assailants. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack the following day.Tom Cleary, “Youssef Zaghba: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know,” Heavy.com, June 6, 2017, https://heavy.com/news/2017/06/youssef-zaghba-london-bridge-terror-attacks-stabbings-suspect-attacker-killer-name/. All three assailants were reportedly linked to the U.K.-banned jihadist network al-Muhajiroun.Rukmini Callimachi and Katirn Bennhold, “London Attackers Slip By Despite an Avalanche of Warnings,” New York Times, June 6, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/world/europe/london-assailants-terrorism-warning-signs-fbi.html, Mark White, “London Bridge attackers were part of banned jihadi network,” Sky News, June 6, 2017, https://news.sky.com/story/london-bridge-attacker-khuram-butt-was-part-of-banned-jihadi-network-10906091.

Redouane first arrived in the United Kingdom in 2006, where he applied for asylum under a false name and date of birth.“London attack: Who were the attackers?,” BBC News, June 28, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40173157; “London bridge terrorist entered UK under false name and date of birth, inquest hears,” Telegraph (London), June 27, 2017, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/27/london-bridge-terrorist-entered-uk-false-name-date-birth-inquest/. He continued to reside in England after the British government denied his application three years later.“London attack: Who were the attackers?,” BBC News, June 28, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40173157; Lizzie Dearden, “London attack: Rachid Redouane's wife says she is 'numbed' by his actions amid reports of domestic abuse,” Independent (London), June 7, 2017, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-attack-rachid-redouane-wife-domestic-abuse-numbed-response-bridge-borough-market-isis-a7778041.html; Ben Framer, “London attacker Rachid Redouane refused UK asylum in 2009,” Telegraph (London), June 6, 2017, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/06/london-attacker-rachid-redouane-refused-uk-asylum-2009/. In 2011, Redouane traveled to Libya, his father’s country of birth, to fight in the Libyan civil war. He reportedly fought against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces as part of the Tripoli-based Liwa al Ummah unit, which went on to send jihadist fighters to the Syrian conflict.Ben Framer, “London attacker Rachid Redouane refused UK asylum in 2009,” Telegraph (London), June 6, 2017, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/06/london-attacker-rachid-redouane-refused-uk-asylum-2009/.

In 2012, Redouane married British citizen Charisse O’Leary in Dublin, Ireland, which allowed him to receive an Irish identity card and European Union residence card.Ben Framer, “London attacker Rachid Redouane refused UK asylum in 2009,” Telegraph (London), June 6, 2017, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/06/london-attacker-rachid-redouane-refused-uk-asylum-2009/. Redouane and his wife lived between Ireland and the United Kingdom before they separated in 2017.Lizzie Dearden, “London attack: Rachid Redouane's wife says she is 'numbed' by his actions amid reports of domestic abuse,” Independent (London), June 7, 2017, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-attack-rachid-redouane-wife-domestic-abuse-numbed-response-bridge-borough-market-isis-a7778041.html; “What we know about the London Bridge killers,” Sky News, June, 7, 2017, https://news.sky.com/story/third-london-attacker-named-as-youssef-zaghba-10905940. According to media interviews with O’Leary’s friends, Redouane abused O’Leary both physically and emotionally during their marriage. He reportedly tried to force her to convert to Islam and act as a traditional Muslim wife, though she refused.Lizzie Dearden, “London attack: Rachid Redouane's wife says she is 'numbed' by his actions amid reports of domestic abuse,” Independent (London), June 7, 2017, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-attack-rachid-redouane-wife-domestic-abuse-numbed-response-bridge-borough-market-isis-a7778041.html. The pair maintained contact after their separation only to discuss raising their daughter. Redouane reportedly visited his wife and daughter in their apartment a few hours before carrying out the attack on June 3, 2017.Sarah Knapton, “Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba named: Everything we know about the London Bridge terrorists,” Telegraph (London), June 6, 2017, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/05/ringleader-london-bridge-terror-attack-named-khuram-butt/; Lizzie Dearden, “London attack: Rachid Redouane's wife says she is 'numbed' by his actions amid reports of domestic abuse,” Independent (London), June 7, 2017, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-attack-rachid-redouane-wife-domestic-abuse-numbed-response-bridge-borough-market-isis-a7778041.html.

On June 3, 2017, Redouane, Youssef Zaghba, and suspected ringleader Khuram Butt drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge. The three men then exited the vehicle wearing fake suicide belts in an attempt to deter authorities and continued on foot to the Borough Market area, where they stabbed individuals in bars and restaurants using knives.Tom Cleary, “Youssef Zaghba: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know,” Heavy.com, June 6, 2017, https://heavy.com/news/2017/06/youssef-zaghba-london-bridge-terror-attacks-stabbings-suspect-attacker-killer-name/; Lizzie Dearden, “London attack: Rachid Redouane's wife says she is 'numbed' by his actions amid reports of domestic abuse,” Independent (London), June 7, 2017, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-attack-rachid-redouane-wife-domestic-abuse-numbed-response-bridge-borough-market-isis-a7778041.html. In total, they killed eight individuals and injured 48 others before police arrived at the scene and shot dead all three assailants.“London attack: Who were the attackers?,” BBC News, June 28, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40173157; Tom Cleary, “Youssef Zaghba: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know,” Heavy.com, June 6, 2017, https://heavy.com/news/2017/06/youssef-zaghba-london-bridge-terror-attacks-stabbings-suspect-attacker-killer-name/. ISIS’s Amaq News Agency claimed responsibility for the attack the next day.Lizzie Dearden, “London terror attack: Isis claims responsibility amid group’s ‘call for increased attacks,’” Independent (London), June 4, 2017, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-terror-attack-isis-claims-responsibility-borough-market-bridge-a7772776.html. Redouane had not been known to authorities previously, though all three assailants were reportedly linked to the jihadist network al-Muhajiroun, which is banned in the United Kingdom due to its links to terrorism.Jessica McBride, “Rachid Redouane: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know,” Heavy.com, June 5, 2017, https://heavy.com/news/2017/06/rachid-redouane-khuram-butt-london-terror-attack-suspect-bridge-borough-market-photos-facebook-isis-islamic-state/; Rukmini Callimachi and Katirn Bennhold, “London Attackers Slip By Despite an Avalanche of Warnings,” New York Times, June 6, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/world/europe/london-assailants-terrorism-warning-signs-fbi.html, Mark White, “London Bridge attackers were part of banned jihadi network,” Sky News, June 6, 2017, https://news.sky.com/story/london-bridge-attacker-khuram-butt-was-part-of-banned-jihadi-network-10906091.