London attacker let into UK despite saying he was 'going to be a terrorist' as questions grow over lapses

Questions are growing over why the London attackers, Khuram Butt, Youseff Zaghba, and Rachid Redouane were not stopped

ne of the London Bridge terror attackers was allowed to enter the UK despite Britain's intelligence agencies being told he wanted "to be a terrorist".

Youseff Zaghba was placed on an international 'watchlist' of suspected foreign fighters after the Italian police caught him trying to travel to Syria last year.

The Italians claim both MI6 and MI5 were informed of the fears surrounding Zaghba, who told police he was "going to be a terrorist" when he was stopped at Bologna airport.

Seven people died and 48 were injured in the London attacks on June 3

It was also disclosed that Butt, the attack ringleader, was arrested by police earlier this year after he attacked an Islamic scholar - but he was let off with a caution.

He was reported to counter-terrorism officers following the incident but they concluded he did not pose a terrorist threat.

Libyan security sources, meanwhile, said they believed the other attacker, Redouane, had fought in the revolution against Col Muammar Gaddafi and joined a militia brigade that went on to send foreign fighters to Syria.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday said she expected the security services to launch a review into their handling of the London Bridge attack.

She said: "MI5 and the police have already said they would be reviewing how they dealt with Manchester and I would expect them to do exactly the same in relation to London Bridge."

Zaghba, the son of an Italian mother and Moroccan father, was arrested at Bologna airport on March 15 last year carrying a one-way ticket to Istanbul and a small rucksack.

The Italians suspected that he was on his way to Syria to volunteer as a foreign fighter with Isil or another terrorist group.

Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech during a Conservative Party campaing event CREDIT: EPA

The police confiscated his passport and mobile phone, on which they found videos and images related to Islamic jihad, including the black Isil flag and a video clip of prisoners in orange jumpsuits being decapitated in a desert setting.

When he was stopped and questioned, he reportedly told police officers: “I’m off to become a terrorist”.

Zaghba’s mother said her son had become radicalised while working in a Pakistani restaurant in London.

A court ruled there was not enough evidence to charge him with terrorist offences, but Italy’s Internal Intelligence Service reportedly passed on details of the airport incident to the MI6 liaison officer in Italy, who also relayed the information to MI5.

Giuseppe Amato, a prosecutor who dealt with the case, said: “His computer was confiscated, but according to the court, there was no evidence to suggest any crime had been committed and it was given back to him.

“He was flagged up to London as a possible suspect. In a year and a half he was in Italy for just 10 days and he was always followed by special operations police.”