MI5 failed to prevent a terror attack that killed two people and injured several others, an inquest has found. The coroner ruled that the attack by Alfie Coleman, who was radicalised online, could have been stopped if intelligence warnings had been properly assessed.
Attack Details
On 20 June 2020, Coleman, 25, carried out a stabbing spree in Reading, Berkshire. He killed two men and injured three others before being subdued by police. The victims were James Furlong, 36, a teacher, and David Wails, 49, a scientist. Coleman targeted a group gathered in Forbury Gardens park.
Coleman, who had a history of mental health issues, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years. He pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder and two counts of murder.
Intelligence Failures
The inquest, which concluded on 5 March 2023, revealed that MI5 had received intelligence about Coleman's extremist views and online activity. However, the intelligence was not fully investigated or escalated. The coroner, Sir Mark Lucraft, said that if MI5 had acted on the warnings, the attack "would have been prevented."
An independent review found that MI5 had categorised Coleman as a "low priority" and failed to follow up on leads. The intelligence included reports that Coleman had expressed support for Islamic State and had shared extremist material online.
Reactions
In a statement, MI5 acknowledged the failings and apologised. Director General Ken McCallum said: "We are sorry for the missed opportunities to prevent this attack. We have implemented changes to ensure such mistakes are not repeated."
The families of the victims expressed anger and frustration. David Wails's mother said: "We trusted MI5 to keep us safe. They let us down."
The government has announced a review of MI5's procedures for handling intelligence on potential terrorists.
