THE hero Polish porter who battled a knife-wielding terrorist with a pole has said he “acted instinctively”.
Brave Lukasz Koczocik was stabbed five times as he bravely took Usman Khan head-on after the convicted terrorist knifed two people to death near London Bridge on Friday.
The Pole hadn’t hesitated on Friday afternoon when he heard screams coming from a room in Fishmongers’ Hall – rushing to tackle the convicted terrorist.
Thanks to Lukasz’s bravery, Khan, 28, was pinned to the ground after killing two people – shot by police while wearing a fake suicide vest.
He was rushed to hospital after suffering brutal slash injuries in the attack but has since been released.
In a statement released through the police tonight, Lukasz said he “acted instinctively” and sent his condolences to the families and victims of “this sad and pointless attack”.
He said: “I was working at Fishmongers Hall as normal when the unimaginable and tragic terrorist attack happened.
“I and several others tried to stop a man from attacking people inside the building. I did this using a pole I found. Someone else was holding a narwhal tusk.
“The man attacked me, after which he left the building. A number of us followed him out but I stopped at the bollards of the bridge. I had been stabbed and was later taken to hospital to be treated. I am thankful that I have now been able to return home.
“When the attack happened, I acted instinctively. I am now coming to terms with the whole traumatic incident and would like the space to do this in privacy, with the support of my family.
“I would like to express my condolences to the families who have lost precious loved ones. I would like to send my best wishes to them and everyone effected by this sad and pointless attack.”
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Lukasz’s boss Toby Williamson, the Fishmongers’ Hall chief executive, had earlier given a harrowing account of how the battle unfolded.
He told how Lukasz picked up a pole to fight Khan – just moments after he had been cleaning glasses in the basement, when he heard the blood-curdling screams.
Mr Williamson said: “Lukasz gets there on the first floor of the building just behind me and it’s pretty clear that there’s a bad guy.
“Khan’s got two knives in his hands, there’s blood, there’s screams, there’s chaos.
“Lukasz pulls off the wall this long stick, he charges towards the bad guy.”
Mr Williamson said despite the brave kitchen porter’s efforts, it was clear Khan’s vest was protecting him – but his brave decision to tackle the killer at least gave others time to escape the bloody chaos that was unfolding.
Recounting the terror attack, he said Lukasz was locked in “one-on-one straight combat” with the terrorist for at least a minute.
He said: “This guy, who we now know by the name of Khan, he works his way up Lukasz’s pole, slashing with this knife and he takes five wounds to his left side.”
Mr Williamson said that as Lukasz was weakened by his horrific injuries, two others rushed in, armed with a fire extinguisher and narwhal tusk.
As Khan then tried to escape through the reception after being outnumbered by heroic witnesses, Lukasz then “led the charge” to stop the deranged killer.
Khan ultimately managed to get outside the building, but was quickly tackled to the ground on London Bridge before being shot by armed police.
He’s a hero, basically. He’s really brave.
Gita Maksimova, neighbour
Neighbours hailed Lukasz a hero after learning that he battled the convicted terrorist.
Yasin Anbar, 37, said: “It’s a great thing. It’s amazing.
“I couldn’t do the same that’s for sure. It’s heroism, absolutely.”
Gita Maksimova, 36, said: “He’s a hero, basically. He’s really brave.”
Since the horrific attack, a spokesman for the ruling United Poland party has said it hopes to award Lukasz with a medal for his bravery.
His heroism has also been praised by everyone from the Queen to Boris Johnson, and the police.
A keen scuba diver, the Pole is known for his sense of adventure – travelling to the caves in Brecon Beacons, Wales and hiking around the UK.
It is understood he has been working at Fishmongers’ Hall for at least three years.
Terrorist Khan had been at a Learning Together event at Fishmongers’ Hall when he murdered Cambridge University graduate Saskia Jones, 23, and 25-year-old Jack Merritt.
Lukasz was not the only one to put their personal safety aside as he rushed to help stop the twisted terrorist.
Two other men who stepped up to stop the attacker were fearless tour guides Thomas Gray, 24, and Stevie Hurst who jumped out of their car to help.
Prisoner James Ford, 42, helped take down Khan while he was on day release.
Ford murdered a 21-year-old disabled girl in 2004 and was at an event about rehabilitating criminals when he stepped in.
A British Transport police officer in plain clothes bravely picked up one of the knives from the floor and carried it away from the attacker.
Khan, from Staffordshire, was freed from prison last December after pleading guilty to terror offences in 2012.
He was part of a nine-man group who plotted to bomb the London Stock Exchange and set up a terrorist training camp in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
And questions have since arisen over just why Khan hadn’t needed to face the Parole Board before he was released from prison.
He was banned from entering London but had a one-day exemption to attend an ex-convict event, it emerged last night.
Khan, who was wearing a monitoring tag during the attack, was attending an event on Friday afternoon at Fishmongers’ Hall called ‘Learning Together’.
The killer “hoodwinked” authorities by travelling to the prisoner rehabilitation conference at Fishmongers’ Hall where he launched his horror rampage.
The callous killer attended the morning session before returning after lunch to launch his rampage armed with two knives and a fake explosive vest.
He is the first freed terrorist to launch an attack in this country. The Parole Board said in a statement it had “no involvement” in Khan’s release.
It added that he appeared “to have been released automatically on licence (as required by law), without ever being referred to the Board”.
