A 45-year-old man, believed to have links to Swindon, who is accused of stabbing two Jewish men in Golders Green has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.
As previously reported, Essa Suleiman of Camberwell, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place in relation to an attack in Golders Green, north London, on Wednesday April 29.
Police responded to reports of stabbings in Highfield Avenue on Wednesday, April 29 at 11:16am and the suspect was tasered before being arrested.
Two Jewish men – Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76 – were taken to hospital.
Suleiman was also charged with attempted murder in relation to a separate incident on the same date in Great Dover Street.
Reports in the national press state he appeared at the Old Bailey via CVP link on Friday, September 25 and pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
The attack in Golders Green was originally declared a terrorist incident.
A Daily Mail report adds "despite it formally being declared a terrorist incident at the time, the prosecution told the court that they no longer considered that Suleiman had launched a terrorist attack" with the prosecution adding "there is not sufficient evidence to make that submission."
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley previously said the suspect had a “history of serious violence and mental health issues”.
It's believed that one of these incidents took place in Swindon, where he once worked as a security guard patrolling football pitches at Abbey Meads Community School.
When cases are active, news organisations are limited on what they can report about an individual's history.
Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, which is leading the investigation said: “Our thoughts remain with the victims involved and specialist officers continue to provide them with support as their recovery continues.
“We are determined to get justice for the victims and now that a person has been charged, I would urge everyone to avoid any further speculation in relation to this case so that justice can run its course.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said on Thursday, April 30 that the suspect was a British national, was born in Somalia, and came to the UK legally as a child in the 1990s.
The Met later confirmed that the suspect was reported to Prevent – the Government’s anti-extremism programme – in 2020 but the case was closed during the same year.
The case was adjourned for psychiatric reports and a three-week trial is set to go ahead on March 1 next year.
Share