Grief of family at scene of soldier’s murder

As the political fallout over the terrorist attack prompted heated exchanges over a proposed law on monitoring internet and email activity, the human cost of Wednesday’s horrific attack was brought into sharp focus as Drummer Rigby’s mother, Lyn, stepfather Ian, and widow Rebecca wept as they laid flowers and left mementos at the site in Woolwich, south east London.

One of the most poignant was a large silver balloon bearing the words “dad in a million”, which was left on behalf of the young soldier’s two-year-old son, Jack.

The emotional visit came as Kenyan officials confirmed Michael Adebolajo, one of the murder suspects, was arrested near the Somali border in Kenya in 2010.

Anti-terrorism unit head Boniface Mwaniki said Adebolajo was believed to have been preparing to train and fight with the Somali militant group al-Shabab, thought to be linked to al-Qaida. He was arrested with five others and later deported.

Kenya’s government spokesman later said Adebolajo was arrested under a different name and taken to court before being handed to British authorities.

“Kenya’s government arrested Michael Olemindis Ndemolajo. We handed him to British security agents in Kenya and he seems to have found his way to London and mutated to Michael Adebolajo,” said spokesman Muthui Kariuki. “The Kenyan government cannot be held responsible for what happened to him after we handed him to British authorities.”

Meanwhile Nick Clegg came under renewed pressure over his decision to stop new laws giving police and security services surveillance powers over internet and email activity.

The Deputy Prime Minister blocked the so-called “snooper’s charter” earlier this month but demands for the legislation to be introduced have heightened in the wake of the savage murder.

Among the fiercest critics was one of Mr Clegg’s own peers, who accused the Lib Dem leader of bringing the Communications Data Bill to a halt for “purely political” reasons.

Lord Carlile suggested the reforms it contains might have prevented the soldier’s death if they had been introduced two years ago and were “very likely” to stop future attacks.

Home Secretary Theresa May indicated the plans would be revived and appeared to be gearing up for a fight with Liberal Democrats.

Labour former Home Secretary Alan Johnson said he was “absolutely passionately” a supporter of reforms and suggested it was a resigning issue for Mrs May if she could not get the changes into law by 2015.

Asked whether she would quit over the matter, Mrs May said: “I have made my view very clear. We are now working through across the government what action we can take but I’m clear, the law enforcement agencies, the intelligence agencies need access to communications data and that is essential to them doing their job.”

Lord Carlile, a former reviewer of anti-terror legislation, said he had written to Mr Clegg days before Drummer Rigby’s murder warning: “I fear that this may come to haunt you and the party if any terrorism event occurs which could otherwise have been avoided”.

But Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes said there is “no evidence at all” that the communications bill could have prevent the Woolwich atrocity, while a spokesman for Mr Clegg warned against “leaping to conclusions”.

Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said: “We urge the Home Secretary to ignore those who so shamelessly play politics with murder and fear. At times of tragedy, the last things to recycle are those familiar faces and discredited ideas that leave us no safer and less free. The terrorists can’t shut down our open society. Why would we do it for them?”