Amin’s interest in Islam regarded as ‘a good thing’

The source close to Abdul Rakib Amin described how family and friends reacted positively when he began to take his religion more seriously several years ago.

He said: “When we see someone going to their faith a lot more, we see it as a good thing because your religion teaches you to respect others.”

Mr Amin was said to have been a “troublemaker” in his youth.

The source added: “We saw religion get somebody who was a bit wild to calm down, for that kind of reason we viewed it as a good thing.

“But you can’t tell what it is that turned him from that side of religion to extremism.”