One of the alleged murderers of Fusilier Lee Rigby told police it “brings him little joy to approach anybody and slay them”, a court hears.
Michael Adebolajo made the remark during an interview with police that was played to an Old Bailey jury.
Covered by a blue blanket, he said he was ashamed to be called British because it was associated with the “murder, pillaging and rape of innocent people” in Muslim countries.
The jury was told that Fusilier Rigby was struck in the neck until his head “almost detached” from his body.
Michael Adebolajo, 28, is accused of hacking the soldier to death with a meat cleaver and knives, along with Michael Adebowale, 22, near Woolwich barracks in south east London in May.
They deny murder, the attempted murder of a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer.
During the police interview, Mr Adebowale was asked what happened to Fusilier Rigby and answered: “He was struck in the neck with a sharp implement and it was sawed until his head, you know, almost detached and may Allah forgive me if I acted in a way that is displeasing to him.”
The court also heard evidence from forensic psychiatrist Tim McInerney that Mr Adebolajo showed “no regret or remorse”.
Mr Adebolajo told the psychiatrist that his actions has been “on the basis of his religious beliefs and because British soldiers were killing people in the Middle East”.
Mr McInerney said Mr Adebolajo had warned he would be a “continuing risk to the British military”.
Pathologist Simon Poole then told the court that Fusilier Rigby suffered “numerous and very deep” wounds to his neck, and that it would have taken “severe force” to inflict some of them.
There were stab wounds nearly six inches deep in his chest, some of which had damaged his lung and breastbone, and injuries to his arms.
Dr Poole found that the cause of death was “multiple incised wounds”.