First Response

INTERVIEW WITH TARIQ MASOOD (10.00 p.m.)

Gillard sipped his coffee as he watched Sergeant Barlow interview Tariq Masood. He really wanted a cigarette but it was vital to get all the preliminary interviews conducted as quickly as possible, so his nicotine fix would have to wait.

‘Tell me again how you came to be abducted,’ said Barlow.

‘I’ve told you three times already,’ complained Masood.

‘I just want to make sure you haven’t forgotten something,’ said Barlow. ‘Sometimes the more you tell something, the more details you remember.’

‘There’s nothing to remember,’ said Masood. ‘I was in bed. I thought I heard something. I sat up, went to the bedroom door and someone grabbed me and put something over my face. I passed out and when I woke up I was tied to a chair with a hood over my face.’

‘Did they say anything to you?’

‘In my house? No. I don’t even know how many of them there were.’

‘And this Shahid, the man that threatened you, did you recognise him?’

‘He had a ski mask on. I told you that.’

‘What about his voice? Did you recognise his voice?’

Masood shook his head.

‘Did he sound foreign? Or British?’

‘British, for sure. Bit of a London accent, maybe.’

‘London, are you sure?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe. I’m not good with accents.’

Barlow made a note on his pad. ‘Young? Old?’

‘Thirty, maybe. Looked like he worked out, you know? He was wearing overalls but I could see he was fit. He spends time in the gym, I’m sure of that.’ He consulted his watch. ‘I want to go home,’ he said. ‘I need to get a shower.’

‘Just a few more questions and then we’ll take you wherever you want to go,’ said Barlow.