‘They killed kids, I killed an old man’
Random stabbing rampage was motivated by Gaza, court told
AN ISLAMIC extremist was inspired by the Hamas slaughter in Israel to murder a pensioner he came across in the street at random, a court heard yesterday.
Moroccan asylum seeker Ahmed Alid, 45, told police his attack was ‘ for the sake of Palestine’ and revenge for Israeli actions: ‘They killed children and I killed an old man.’
Last October, eight days after Hamas terrorists slaughtered hundreds of Israelis, he began his knife rampage by trying to stab his housemate to death as he slept.
Despite being repeatedly stabbed, Javed Nouri, a fellow asylum seeker who had converted from Islam to Christianity and had reported Alid to the police two days earlier, fought for his life and another housemate managed to disarm the attacker, Teesside Crown Court was told.
As police headed to the house in Hartlepool, Alid walked into town openly carrying a second knife.
Jurors were told he came across Terence Carney, 70, and launched a deadly attack at 5.30am.
Jonathan Sandiford, KC, prosecuting, told the court Mr Carney was ‘pushed or stabbed to the ground’ before Alid continued stabbing him repeatedly. The pensioner was ‘effectively defenceless’ and crying out ‘no, no’.
CCTV footage showing Alid strolling up to Mr Carney and attacking him in the middle of the deserted street was played to the jury, along with audio of the attack with groans and shouts.
Alid left him for dead and Mr Carney managed to stagger a short distance before collapsing and dying.
The pensioner, who was in the habit of going for an early morning walk, had been stabbed six times, including through the heart, said Mr Sandiford.
Alid was arrested by police a short time later. He had suffered a cut hand and said but for his injuries he would have continued what he called ‘ the raid’ and killed more people.
Asked to explain his actions, Alid told police it was to do with the independence of Palestine and forcing the ‘ brutal Israeli coloniser’ out.
Mr Sandiford said: ‘ The defendant swore by Allah that, if he’d had a machine gun and more weapons, he would have killed more victims.’ He said Mr Carney was attacked because Alid believed Britain had created Israel and should make it leave Palestine.
The court heard Alid regarded Christian convert Mr Nouri as an ‘apostate who deserved to die’ for turning his back on Islam.
And during the interview Alid became angry and blocked the door to stop two female officers leaving. He grabbed hold of one of them and all three fell to the floor before other officers entered and restrained him.
Alid denies murder, attempted murder and assaulting both police officers. The judge Mrs CheemaGrubb told the jury it was unlikely the defendant would dispute he carried out the attacks, but the central issue was his intention.
The case continues.