British soldier murder suspect due in court

LONDON: One of the chief suspects in the brutal killing of a British soldier on a London street is due to appear in court on Thursday charged with murder and possession of a firearm.

Michael Adebowale, 22, was arrested on May 22, the day soldier Lee Rigby was hacked to death near a barracks in Woolwich, southeast London.

He was shot by police and spent six days in hospital, before being discharged on Tuesday and taken into formal custody.

His alleged co-conspirator, Michael Adebolajo, 28, was also shot and remains in a separate hospital in the capital.

"Michael Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich, was charged with the murder of Lee Rigby contrary to common law," police said in a statement late Wednesday.

"He was also charged with possession of a firearm, namely a 9.4 mm KNIL Model 91 Revolver with intent thereof to cause persons to believe that unlawful violence would be used against him or her or another person."

Adebowale was remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday from 10:00 am (0900 GMT).

A post-mortem examination found on Wednesday that Rigby, a 25-year-old machine-gunner who had served with British forces in Afghanistan, died of "multiple incised wounds".

A formal hearing into Rigby's death will open at Southwark Coroner's Court in London on Friday.