PROFILE: Lee Rigby's killers - Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale

Here News Shopper brings you more details on the two killers who sent shockwaves around the world.

Adebolajo:

- Born in Lambeth in 1985 to a Christian family of Nigerian descent.

- The married father-of-six’s son was just four days old at the time of the incident.

- He told Old Bailey jurors he converted to Islam in his first year as a student at Greenwich University. He did not complete his building surveyor course.

- He said he attended Muslim anti-war demonstrations and was jailed briefly in 2006 for assaulting police.

- In 2010 he tried to travel to Somalia but was arrested in Kenya as a suspected recruit of terror group al-Shabaab and sent home.

- Adebolajo, who said he loved terrorist group Al-Queada and called them his “brothers”, had been seen preaching in Woolwich town centre up until May last year.

One neighbour, who shared the block of flats at Greenwich House, in Oakwood Close, Lewisham, used to say hello when they passed each other and said Adebolajo had an "edge" and could be unresponsive.

He said: “He kept himself to himself really but I could tell he had an edge.

“He would be responsive one minute and then at other times he didn’t.
“I feel very unlucky.
“It is very sad to know that you can live near someone who is capable of doing that, not just to Rigby, but anyone, you or me.
“And apparently he was known to authorities and nothing was done about it. I am quite angry that the authorities didn’t do anything about it.”

Many residents of Oakwood Close said they had not known him and were shocked to learn he had been a neighbour.

They heard noise as police broke down his door and say officers camped outside the flats for two weeks after the killing and slept in cars.
One neighbour said: “We were shocked but we did our daily routine.
“It is a very quiet area.”

Adebolajo's door was broken down and resealed in Greenwich House, Oakwood Close.

Adebowale

- Born in Eltham to Christian parents, he converted to Islam when he was 17. His parents called him by his middle name, Tobi instead of his adopted name Ismael after his conversion.

- Adebowale is believed to have had links to the Woolwich Boys gang before being radicalised.

- He was jailed for drug offences in 2009.

- Met Police Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “He seems to have been a young man who came into contact with the police at a fairly young age. Quite a troubled young man, he seems to have been missing from home a couple of times.”

- Speaking of his behavior in custody, she added: “Mr Adebowale was very changeable and emotional on occasion and certainly very aggressive and yes, he did spit at the officers and on more than one occasion he required restraint.”

- Adebowale did not give evidence in his defence and was assessed by numerous psychiatrists during the trial Jurors were played graphic footage of the men veering the car to mow Fusilier Rigby down at around 30-40mph as well as the dramatic stand-off with armed officers who shot them to the ground before administering first aid.

Adebowale was living at Macey House in Thames Street at the time of the killing and was described as "very quiet".

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “He was a very quiet bloke. He always waved hello.
“I don’t know what happened, what got into their heads to kill someone like that."

Adebowale's former flat in Thames Street, Greenwich.