Syrian conflict ‘inspired’ man charged with Amess murder
THE man charged with murdering Sir David Amess had been plotting to kill an MP for two years after being inspired by Islamic State and the conflict in Syria, a court has heard.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, was yesterday charged with stabbing to death the Southend West MP during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-sea in Essex last Friday.
Ali, from north London, appeared in the dock at Westminster magistrates’ court accused of murder and preparing acts of terrorism between May 1 2019 and September this year.
It is alleged that he previously focused on two other politicians, carrying out reconnaissance at the home of one, the surgery of another and also at
‘We will submit this murder has a terrorist connection ... it had both religious and ideological motivations’
the Houses of Parliament. The defendant, wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit and black rimmed glasses, stood to confirm his name, address and date of birth during the hearing, which lasted 13 minutes.
He was not asked to enter pleas to the two charges and was remanded in custody.
Before yesterday’s court appearance, Nick Price, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “We will submit to the court that this murder has a terrorist connection, namely that it had both religious and ideological motivations.”
James Cable, prosecuting, told the court that Ali had made a noon appointment to see Sir David at his surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-onsea.
During the meeting with the MP he was seen using his mobile phone, and then allegedly stood up and stabbed Sir David with a large knife a number of times.
Armed police arrested the defendant
‘Our forensics team analysed digital devices and carried out a painstaking review of CCTV footage’
‘A large team of detectives have been working around the clock to find out as much as we can about what happened and why’
at the scene and recovered a knife from the church.
The MP was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.10pm and a preliminary postmortem examination report gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the chest.
The Crown Prosecution Service alleges the murder has a terrorist connection because of its “religious and ideological” motives.
Prosecutors also allege that Ali was affiliated with the so-called Islamic State proscribed terrorist organisation and that his actions were connected to the conflict in Syria.
Throughout yesterday’s hearing Ali sat with his arms folded, occasionally glancing towards the full press bench. He nodded at Paul Goldspring, the chief magistrate, as he was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at the Old Bailey today.
Matt Jukes, the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner responsible for specialist operations, described the charging of Ali as a “significant milestone” in the case, but said the work by counter terrorism investigators would continue apace.
Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Mr Jukes added: “A large team of detectives have been working around the clock to find out as much as we can about what happened and why.
“That work has included searches at a number of London addresses. Our advanced forensics team analysed digital devices and carried out a painstaking review of CCTV footage.
“If there are members of the public who have further information that might help the investigation, I would urge them to come forward.
“Every piece of information in investigations such as these is important, and you will not be wasting our time.”