London Metropolitan Police have charged Essa Suleiman with attempted murder after he carried out a shocking stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area. Meanwhile, the UK government announced it has raised the national terrorism threat level to "severe."
The London Metropolitan Police announced serious charges against 45-year-old Essa Suleiman for two counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed weapon in a public place. These charges stem from his stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area in north London on Wednesday, 29 Apr 2024 GMT+7. Additionally, he faces another attempted murder charge related to a separate incident on the same day in the Southwark district.
According to BBC, Suleiman is a British citizen who legally immigrated from Somalia in the early 1990s. Police revealed that he was previously enrolled in a counter-extremism monitoring program aimed at preventing terrorism in 2020, but his case was closed by the end of that year.
Following the attack, the UK government raised the nationwide terrorism alert level to "Severe," indicating a high likelihood of attacks. Officials noted that this elevated threat level had been increasing for some time and that the stabbing of Jewish individuals was not the sole factor.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking from 10 Downing Street, pledged to enforce stringent measures to eradicate antisemitism, increase police presence in Jewish communities, and expedite legislation addressing state-supported threats. He also called on the nation to "open their eyes and acknowledge the pain experienced by Jewish people."
One of the injured victims, 34-year-old Chloime Rand, said he felt as if "God had given him life back." He has since been discharged from the hospital. The other victim, 76-year-old Moshe Shine, remains hospitalized with stable condition.
London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley described the situation as what he calls "a pandemic of antisemitism" occurring globally and in the UK. He affirmed that police will dedicate all available resources to ensure safety in vulnerable areas.
The UK government announced a special £25 million (approximately 1.1 billion baht) fund to increase patrols and security in Jewish communities. However, fear persists; one Jewish man told the media he is considering moving from the UK to Israel because he "no longer feels safe walking the streets of this country."
,BBC