Adebolajo Is Second Man Charged in Murder of London Soldier - Businessweek

Michael Adebolajo, one of the two suspects in the deadly attack of U.K. soldier Lee Rigby in London, was charged with murder.

Adebolajo, 28, also was charged with the attempted murder of two police officers and the possession of a firearm, London's Metropolitan Police said in an e-mailed statement today. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, June 3.

Adebolajo and 22-year-old Michael Adebowale were shot, wounded and arrested by police on May 22 at the scene of the crime. Both were taken to London hospitals. Adebowale was released from medical care and taken into police custody on May 28. He was charged with murder the following day. Adebolajo was discharged from a separate hospital on Friday, May 31.

Rigby, a 25-year old father, was hit with a car and attacked by two men with knives outside a military barracks in Woolwich, southeast London. Police are treating the case as an act of terrorism.

Rigby, who has a 2-year-old son, was a drummer in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. A fan of the Manchester United soccer team, he served as a machine gunner in Cyprus and then in 2009 as a member of a fire support group in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

London police have arrested 12 people in the probe into Rigby's death, including Adebolajo and Adebowale. Two people were arrested May 31 on suspicion of being involved in the supply of illegal firearms in the case. A 42-year-old man was arrested in north London and a 46-year-old man was detained in the eastern section of the British capital after police searched residential addresses. Today, both of those men were released on bail and told to return to a south London police station later this month.

The eight others who were arrested have been released, six on bail pending further inquiries and two were let go without charges.

A coroner's inquest into Rigby's death was adjourned on May 31 to give police more time to conclude their investigation. Autopsy results showed that he died from multiple stab wounds, police said.

About 500 police officers and other investigators, including members of counterterrorism units from forces around the country, are working on the case, U.K. Home Secretary Theresa May has said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lindsay Fortado in London at lfortado@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@bloomberg.net