Lee Rigby murder: pair found guilty

The two men Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who shocked the world with their brutal and vey public slaying of drummer Lee Rigby were found guilty at the Old Baily in London today.

Lee Rigby was on his way back to the Woolwich Barracks when he was targeted wearing a ‘Help for Heroes’ shirt. The two men ran Rigby over in their car before their frenzied attack with knives and cleavers.

Then the pair engaged in their own macabre public relations excercise  speaking to cameras about what they had just done and why they did it. Michael Adebolajo said brandishing his bloody cleaver and hands:

"You people will never be safe. We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you. The only reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day. This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

"We must fight them. I apologise that women had to witness this today. But in our land our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don't care about you.

"You think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street when we start bussin' our guns? You think politicians are going to die? No it's going to be the average guy, like you, and your children. So get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back so you can all live in peace."

After the killing many feared a long and sustained backlash. Both the BNP and the EDL sought to capitilise on the murder for their own racist gains. But Rigby’s family, the ‘Hope for Heroes’ campaign, and the overwhelming majority of the British media shunned both the EDL and the BNP for their rank opportunism. In doing so a potential race hate explosion was averted.

Today the two young men, poisoned in mind and deed will probably spend the rest of their lives behind bars. They may see themselves as martyrs, but the jury of their peers and perhaps the country has a whole seem them as blood thirsty murderers.

Simon Woolley