The mother of Dartford-born terrorist Khalid Masood has said she is "shocked, saddened and numbed" after her son carried out the Westminster attack.

Janet Ajao said she did not condone the attack or the beliefs which had led Masood to commit the "atrocity".

In a statement released through the Met Police, she said: "I am so deeply shocked, saddened and numbed by the actions my son has taken that have killed and injured innocent people in Westminster.

"Since discovering that it was my son that was responsible I have shed many tears for the people caught up in this horrendous incident.

"I wish to make it absolutely clear, so there can be no doubt, I do not condone his actions nor support the beliefs he held that led to him committing this atrocity.

"I wish to thank my friends, family and community from the bottom of my heart for the love and support given to us."

Khalid Masood was born Adrian Elms in Dartford and changed his name multiple times before he became Khalid Masood in 2005.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed four people and injuring many others, and called Masood "a soldier of the Islamic State".

Met Police have said that, while there was a clear interest in jihad, there is no evidence yet of an association with IS or AQ.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, Senior National Coordinator for UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said: "His attack method appears to be based on low sophistication, low tech, low cost techniques copied from other attacks, and echo the rhetoric of IS leaders in terms of methodology and attacking police and civilians, but at this stage I have no evidence he discussed this with others.

“There is no evidence that Masood was radicalised in prison in 2003, as has been suggested; this is pure speculation at this time.

"Whilst I have found no evidence of an association with IS or AQ, there is clearly an interest in Jihad.

“I know when, where and how Masood committed his atrocities, but now I need to know why. Most importantly, so do the victims and families.”