London terror update: CCTV video shows terrorists planning days before attack

The London Bridge terror attackers were caught on camera “laughing, joking and hugging” as they plotted their deadly rampage just five days before the atrocity. In CCTV footage passed to The Times newspaper, the three men can be seen together outside a gym in Ilford, east London, before their murderous attack that killed eight and injured dozens. Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, gathered shortly after midnight on May 29 at the Ummah Fitness Centre. Redouane, wearing an Adidas tracksuit top, leaves his mobile phone on a pile of building materials before the trio disappear for around ten minutes. On their return, they can be seen chatting for a few minutes. Appearing relaxed and smiling, Zaghba embraces Butt and Redouane shakes his hand before going their separate ways. Butt, the suspected ringleader, is wearing traditional Islamic clothing and returns inside the gym as his accomplices head out into the night. Ummah Fitness Centre, which operates a gender-segregated timetable and remains open until 3am for fasting Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan, said it was “shocked and saddened” by the London Bridge attack. “There is never any justification for indiscriminately killing civilians,” said a statement posted on its door. The way the trio met remains unclear, but they reportedly became acquainted at a KFC fast-food outlet in East Ham in late 2015. Butt was an office manager. Zaghba is thought to have worked in the restaurant after moving to London when he dropped out of university in Morocco, while Redouane, who lived just a short walk away in Barking, was a regular customer. Media sources are suggesting that Zaghba was introduced to Butt by an Italian faction of Al-Muhajiroun. Zaghba, an Italian citizen of Moroccan descent, lived in Ilford while working in a Pakistani restaurant. But he continued to visit his mother in Bologna, attempting to travel from the Italian city to Syria in Mach last year, and telling police who stopped him he “wanted to be a terrorist”. Italian police said their “conscience” was clear after uploading information on Zaghba to the Schengen Information System. But the Europe-wide intelligence sharing system alert reportedly suggested he was wanted over criminality rather than extremism or terrorism. Saturday`s (June 3) rampage was brought to an end when the trio were shot dead by armed police eight minutes after the first emergency call about the London Bridge attack was received. Eight people are now known to have died, all of whom have been identified, while ten further victims remain in a critical condition in hospital. The death toll reached eight after the body of Xavier Thomas, 45, was recovered near Limehouse, downstream from London Bridge, on Tuesday evening (June 6) . He is thought to have been struck by the terrorists` van on the bridge. The other seven victims killed have been named as: Canadian Christine Archibald, 30, James McMullan, 32, from Hackney, east London, Alexandre Pigeard, 27 and Sebastien Belanger, 36, both from France, Australians Kirsty Boden, 28, and Sara Zelenak, 21, and Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria, 39. Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced the setting up of an emergency fund by the British Red Cross to provide immediate support to those who have been injured, bereaved or traumatised by Saturday’s attack. Mr Khan said: “The fund will ensure that victims and their families do not face short-term financial difficulties. “Over the last few days I have met with London Ambulance staff and Metropolitan Police Service officers and staff to thank them for their incredible response to Saturday’s attack. “Their swift actions, bravery and professionalism saved lives. I know all Londoners are grateful for their efforts over the past few days. In the face of adversity Londoners always pull together. We saw that on Saturday night and in the days that have passed since, and I know we will carry on. “Because that’s what being a Londoner is all about.