Woolwich murderer's mum: 'Please forgive my son'

The mother of Woolwich murderer Michael Adebowale has asked the mother of Lee Rigby for forgiveness, condemning the attack on the soldier as "senseless".

Speaking to ITV News London, Juliet Adebowale explained she would like to say to Lyn Rigby: "I want you to find a space in your heart to forgive Michael for what he has done.

"He was such a sweet boy but something happened to him and we lost him. We're sorry. I really condemn what happened...It's harrowing, it's disgusting. It's senseless."

Watch the interview in full on ITV London at 6pm and the national ITV News at 6.30pm.

The mother of Woolwich murderer Michael Adebowale, 22, says her "vulnerable" son was "lured" into his actions by accomplice Michael Adebolajo, 29.

"He had known Adebolajo since they went on a march at the end of March. I still can’t comprehend what happened, what got into his head," Juliet Adebowale, 52, told The Sun.

"It was so out of character, he was very vulnerable. When people are vulnerable the evil ones will lure them.”

She added: “That poor, poor family have lost a son - but so have I.”

Watch: Michael Adebolajo's brother refuses to condemn Woolwich murder

These men were known to the security service - their names had come to their attention when they were investigating other plots over a number of years.

Michael Adebolajo was radical enough to try and get to Somalia to fight with al-Shabaab, and it seems there was MI5 contact with him when he returned.

On the other hand, there are thousands in the UK with similar radical views. They can't all be monitored. And although this was a savege, shocking attack - it was relatively unsophisticated.

Adebolajo bought knives in Argos the day before.

But at the end of this trial, after that bloody day in Woolwich in May, I think it is worth remembering not the murderers but Lee Rigby's family who sat through that harrowing evidence.

As they put it so movingly: They have justice but they don't have Lee back.