Two men plead not guilty in apparent Islamist murder of British soldier Lee Rigby in London

LONDONTwo men have pleaded not guilty to killing a British soldier who was hacked to death on a London street in an apparent Islamist terrorist attack.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were shot by police and placed under armed guard in a hospital after the May 22 attack on Lee Rigby, an off-duty soldier who was run over by a car and then stabbed repeatedly while walking back to his military barracks in southeast London.

Adebolajo, 28, and Adebowale, 22, appeared via videolink at London's Old Bailey court on Friday and denied murdering Rigby. They also denied attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer on or before May 22.

The two men were recorded in photographs and on video -- one of them holding bloodied knife -- appearing to espouse Islamic extremism.

A few days after the attack, Adebolajo was released from a hospital with injuries he suffered when he was shot by police after the attack. Adebowale also spent several days in a hospital being treated for gunshot wounds.

Rigby's widow, Rebecca, broke down in tears Friday in court.