Woolwich murder suspect Michael Adebolajo “was just a typical teenager” says a shocked neighbour who knew him when he was growing up in Essex.
Kemi Ibrahim-Adeoti told Channel 4 News that at first she didn’t recognise the man in the videos of the incident in Woolwich. which left soldier Lee Rigby dead and two suspected attackers under armed guard in hospital, as the same person who had come round to play with her own son as a teenager:
“I’m just appalled that something like that could happen in the Nigerian community and for me now to know that it’s Michael and he used to come round to my house – it’s just absurd.”
She described how Michael and her son would play music and games – “normal things that a teenager does” – but went on to say that although Michael had rebelled against his parents, his behaviour didn’t seem out of the ordinary:
“I knew he had some issues with his parents at the time – I think he was just reacting – you know teenagers, just a typical teenager who wanted to get his own way. Nothing like this. Seriously, I don’t know what went wrong – he was just a typical teenager at the time.”
Ms Ibrahim-Adeoti said her heart went out to Michael Adebolajo’s parents, who she said were strong christians who had left the Romford area some six years earlier. Their other children were “well-behaved, beautiful kids” she added. There had been no indication at the time that anyone in the family might convert to Islam.