Reading attack suspect ‘yelled Allahu akbar’, court is told

THE 25-year-old Libyan man accused of killing three people in a Reading park “shouted ‘Allahu akbar’” moments before the attack, a court has heard.

Khairi Saadallah, who was living in the Berkshire town, is charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.

He appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court via video link from Coventry magistrates’ court. Dressed in a grey, prison-issue tracksuit and wearing a surgical face mask, he spoke only to confirm his name and address and did not enter a plea.

Mr Saadallah, who moved to the UK as a refugee in 2012, is alleged to have attacked his victims in Forbury Gardens on June 20 “without warning or provocation”.

Jan Newbold, prosecuting, said: “At the time of the incident, the defendant was heard to shout words to the effect of ‘Allahu akbar’ [God is great].”

The court heard that Saadallah is alleged to have targeted a group of seven sitting on the grass, stabbing four of them before turning to a group of five nearby, stabbing one in the back and one in the face. An off-duty police officer who saw the attack, called 999.

The three friends who were killed were: James Furlong, 36; David Wails, 49; and Joe Ritchie-bennett, 39. Mr Furlong, a history teacher, and Mr Ritchie-bennett, a US citizen, were each stabbed once in the neck while scientist Mr Wails was stabbed once in the back. They were all declared dead at the scene.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot told Saadallah that the case was being referred to the Crown Court and that he would appear at the Old Bailey tomorrow, probably via video link.