IT is has been revealed that 25-year-old Khairi Saad­allah was released from HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire just weeks before three people were stabbed to death in a terror attack in Forbury Gardens, Reading.

The 25-year-old, who was on MI5 radar and planned to fight in Syria, left prison 16 days ago and is being held by counter-terror police after three died and more were wounded in the stabbing in the public park.

The Libyan national, who moved to the UK as a refugee, is being quizzed by police, who are now treating the incident as a terror attack. He is alleged to have knifed a total of 12 people in the broad daylight attack at the gardens in Reading’s town centre.

A source said: “Saadallah was on MI5’s radar for a few months last year over his aspirations to travel to Syria. “He had a history of violence and serious mental health problems so why was he granted leave to remain at all? There are major questions to be answered.”

He is being detained under the Terrorism Act, sources say police are looking at mental health reasons for the attack. Saadallah’s brother Mo slammed the terror arrest and wrote on Facebook:

‘This is not true. Khairi defended himself… racist countries. Freedom for my brother!’

Those comments attracted hundreds of fierce replies, too disturbing and offensive to print here. The investigation into the attack continues. Please check back later for more information.