London attacker was of Pakistani origin, who once said `would kill his mother in the name of Allah`

London: Three attackers drove a hired van into pedestrians on London Bridge on Saturday night then ran into the bustling Borough Market area where they stabbed numerous people. Seven people were killed and 48 were taken to hospital.

The attack has once again shifted focus to Pakistan, as one of the attackers has turned out to be a jihadist of Pakistani origin.

The Metropolitan Police described Abz, a person of Pakistani origin, as a "jihadi" living next door.

As per The Sun, 27-year-old Abz was an ex-London Tube worker and a 'family man', who appeared on a Channel 4 TV documentary titled "The Jihadis Next Door" not too long ago and unfurled a jihadist flag in a park in an attempt to radicalise young kids.

He has now been identified by the police as the ringleader of Saturday's London Bridge and Borough Market terror attack.

At the time of his elimination within eight minutes of launching his attack, Abz was pictured wearing an Arsenal strip, reports the British daily.

Abz's identity was revealed through a former friend, who contacted the police about the terror thug's extremist views, and claimed that this father of two had gotten increasingly radicalised by watching twisted YouTube videos.

He said Abz had become brainwashed after watching clips of American hate preacher Ahmad Musa Jibril which was easily accessible on YouTube and is so even now.

This friend of Abz said that he phoned an anti-terror hotline and informed as to why he thought the former was radicalised.

In his view, the delay on the part of the law enforcement authorities to act on his information, promptly resulted in the knifing of bystanders and pub-goers and being caught in the crossfire.

Another friend of Abz described him as a person who was a bit shady and found him to be on drugs.

He, however, adds that when he became radicalised, all that changed. He used to ask neighbours whether they prayed or not etc.

Meanwhile, Frontpage Mag has quoted Ken Chigbo, 26, one of the neighbours of Abz, describing the attacker as "really sociable". He added that Abz had invited him to a barbecue just last week.

Another neighbour, Erica Gasparri, an Italian mother of three, claimed she had reported him to Barking police two years ago after he allegedly brainwashed her two children at a park.

She said the police later told her that the information had been passed to Scotland Yard.

Gasparri said: “He was trying to radicalise the children, he would go down to the park and talk to them about Islam. He also came to the houses and gave the kids money and sweets during Ramadan.”

"He told me he would do whatever is required in the name of Allah... I would be prepared to kill my mother."

Police carried out fresh raids and arrested "a number of people" on Monday after the Islamic State group claimed an attack by three men who mowed down and stabbed revellers in London, killing seven people before being shot dead by officers.

Saturday night`s rampage at a popular nightlife hub around London Bridge by men wearing fake suicide vests was the third deadly terror attack in Britain in less than three months and came only days before a general election.

Police said on Sunday they were holding 11 people, all arrested in raids on two addresses in Barking in suburban east London.

(With Agency inputs)