I was married to evil, admits widow of Westminster attacker

Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood’s widow wept as she apologised to his victims, telling an inquest into their deaths: “I can’t believe I was married to someone that evil.”

Rohey Hydara said she was sorry she had not been “more vigilant” before the 52-year-old killed four pedestrians and a policeman in a car and knife rampage.

In one bizarre monologue played in court, Masood’s raised voice is heard to say: “I never hear you say there’s any good in Isis, I never hear you say at least they’re fighting against the Shia, they’re doing some good".

He was shot dead by police after stabbing Pc Keith Palmer, 48, to death and ploughing into Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, on Westminster Bridge in a rented 4×4.

His widow was refused anonymity by a coroner at the inquest, but was allowed to give evidence in the Old Bailey’s Court One out of sight of the public and media.

Ms Hydara insisted she had no idea what Masood was planning, describing it as an act of “evil”.

Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood was shot dead by police after stabbing Pc Keith Palmer. Credit: PA

She said: “I would like to speak to the victims and families. I’m sorry that I was not more vigilant. He made me trust him and I had no reason to doubt him.

“I know it’s hard. It is for me every day. I cannot imagine what you guys are going through.

“I hope my being here today will give you answers you seek.

“I cannot believe I was married to someone that evil. I hope that you find closure at the end of all this and you move on and do not let him win.”

The night before the attack, the couple spoke on FaceTime and she said Masood appeared “emotional” with a red face.

He told her it was a rash but she thought it was because he was upset about his stepfather being ill.

On the morning of March 22, Masood sent his wife and children a text saying: “I hope you guys are all okay I have been thinking about you lots, love daddy.”

He sent another text of an emoji blowing a kiss.

After about 2.30pm, just before the attack, she received another text containing a “Jihadi” document with a picture of Masood on it.

She said she thought it was “strange” and texted him back asking to speak urgently.

On seeing pictures of her husband lying injured after the attack, she phoned police saying: “I think my husband is involved in what’s happened at Westminster.”

Ms Hydara, who married Masood shortly after meeting him in 2006, said her husband was more religious than her, more strict in eating halal food and had tried to make her wear Islamic clothes.

She told the inquest Masood visited the gym every week and was “very, very serious” about his training.

The Old Bailey heard Masood started taking steroids when he and his wife and their two children moved to Luton in 2009.

Ms Hydara said he was “very, very short tempered” and threatened her with divorce twice – once when she refused to stop wearing trousers and again when she asked him not to take steroids.

“He would get very bad when he was on steroids,” she said.

“If you would look at him in a certain way he would talk about it for an hour. He was angry. I would always back down.”

The inquest heard Ms Hydara recorded Masood’s rants when he was in the throes of steroids.

In another terrifying audio tape, he berated Ms Hydara in a barely intelligible monologue telling her: “I might be 100% wrong, but I’m head of the family.”

She told the court: “That was actually one of the times when he was calmer.”