TERROR COPS FEAR ‘ALONE WOLF’ ATTACKS
MP slaying suspect ‘radicalised over web at home in lockdown’
BRITISH police investigating the murder of Tory MP David Amess fear an epidemic of “bedroom radicals” in the wake of lockdowns.
Suspected lone-wolf terrorist Ali Harbi Ali (25) is thought to have been radicalised online after his father was forced to isolate because of illness.
Ali, who is understood to have been referred to the UK government’s Prevent counter- extremism programme, was said by neighbours to have worked for the NHS after leaving home in his late teens.
Three properties, including the home he grew up in, have been searched by police since the attack on Friday.
Ali’s Somalian father said he had been left “traumatised” by the shock of his son being arrested for the crime.
Harbi Ali Kullane (61), a former communications advisor to the Prime Minister of Somalia, confirmed that his British- born son was in police custody following the stabbing.
Speaking at his sister’s home in London, Kul lane said that counter-terrorism police had visited him, adding: “I’m feeling very traumatised. It’s not something that I expected or ever dreamt of.”
Risk WARNING: Richard Smith
Commander Richard
Smith, head of the London
Met Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command, warned in July that young people had been left at greater risk of online radicalisation during lockdown.
“There’s a real toxic mix that we may see as we come out of the pandemic in terms of the numbers of people who have been at risk of radicalisation,” he said.
“It is likely that the risk of radicalisation has increased for a small number of vulnerable people, as the pandemic may have driven young people to spend more time online and exacerbate grievances.” Col Richard Kemp, former adviser to the UK government on terrorism, said: “It has long been felt within the counter terror community that the threat from so- called bedroom radicals would
KILLED: MP David Amess escalate because of COVID-19 and the lockdowns.
“These people have become even more isolated from others and that distancing and lack of communication also makes it harder to trace them if they are not talking to and meeting others.
Internet
“Added to that it is possible the isolation has made them more introspective and angry, worse they have been vulnerable to internet radicalisation. And it is possible that this has contributed to this killer’s state of mind.”
Dad- of-five Mr Amess was said to have been stabbed 17 times at his constituency surgery at a church hall in Leigh- on- Sea, Essex last Friday.
Detectives were granted a warrant of further detention, allowing them to keep Ali in custody until this Friday,