Suspected terrorist ‘hooked by jihad vids’

SIR David Amess’ suspected attacker may have been radicalised by jihadi videos online.

MI5 chiefs believe his killer may have been a “lone wolf” with no links to any major terrorist group.

A senior intelligence source said: “This was a planned assassination against a public figure – it has all the hallmarks of a sophisticated terrorist attack.”

Last night Sky News reported the suspect is Ali Harbi Ali, 25, a British citizen with Somali heritage. He is not thought to have been previously known to the security services.

Counter-terror chiefs are probing whether the suspect may have been inspired by the bow and arrow rampage by a Muslim convert in Norway, or if he targeted Sir David over his links with Israel.

They are also trying to find out the mental state of the suspect.

The source said: “There was a high degree of planning in this assassination.

“The killer had a knife, he knew where Sir David was going to hold his surgery and, crucially, he knew that there would be minimal security.

“The key questions are why this target, and why now? Was he inspired by a recent terrorist attack, such as the one in Norway?

“Sir David may have been targeted simply because the killer knew that he would be a soft target.”

The Southend Tory MP had been in Parliament since 1983. He was stabbed multiple times while meeting constituents on Friday at a church in Leigh-on-Sea. He leaves five children and wife Julia.

The 69-year-old was a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, and a former member of the Conservative Friends of Israel organisation.

He was also chairman of the Qatar All Party Parliamentary Group. Sources said this link would form part of the inquiry.