UK terror cops haul bags of evidence from Sir David Amess murder suspect home
Terror police have been seen hauling bags of evidence from the home of a man suspected of murdering conservative UK MP Sir David Amess.
Terror police have been seen hauling bags of evidence from the home of a man suspected of murdering Sir David Amess, as officers descended on three London houses.
Officers were seen carrying sacks out of the Ali Harbi Ali’s council flat in Kentish Town on Sunday, which police have been guarding since Friday.
UK Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer is the area’s local MP and lives just streets away.
Police also combed his childhood home in Croydon, as well as his father’s home in Bounds Green.
In Kentish Town, a yellow police forensics tent was erected in the front garden of a property, which also has blue panels around the sides to prevent members of the public being able to see inside.
And on Sunday, a police officer was seen emerging from the address carrying several large bags marked ‘police’.
One clear evidence bag appeared to contain several cardboard boxes, among other items.
It’s all part of the police investigation in the aftermath of Sir David’s brutal murder while carrying out a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The politician and dad-of-five was fatally stabbed 17 times at his constituency surgery at a church hall in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
It has been reported that Mr Ali, 25, was on a terror watch list and allegedly had extremist material on his phone.
Meanwhile the suspect’s mum and sisters haven’t been seen at his childhood Croydon home since Friday.
Police searched the home on Friday afternoon – just hours after Sir David was stabbed.
A neighbour said they were a “lovely family” and that Mr Ali’s mum and sisters had been helping him get medicine and shopping during the lockdown.
Mr Ali lived at the home until he was 16 or 17, according to a neighbour. He came back to visit his mum regularly.
Ali and his brother kept themselves to themselves growing up and were always studying, according to those who lived nearby.
Another neighbour said Mr Ali was a “normal boy” and was shocked when he saw that he had attacked Sir David.
His dad Harbi Ali Kullane, a former adviser to the prime minister of Somalia, confirmed that his British-born son was in custody.
He told The Sunday Times, “I’m feeling very traumatised. It’s not something that I expected or even dreamt of.”
A neighbour told the PA news agency: “We knew the family quite well as superficial neighbours. Very nice family, the mum was very, very nice. They’d say hello in the street, that kind of thing.
“A mother lives there with several boys, my husband believes there’s three boys. The youngest has got to be in his 20s. I never saw a father there. They’ve been here for years, we’ve lived here for 20 years and they’ve been here longer than us.”
The 25-year-old is being quizzed on suspicion of murdering Sir David at the constituency meeting – known as a surgery – on Friday.
Scotland Yard detectives on Saturday were granted another six days to quiz him under the Terrorism Act, allowing them to hold him until Friday.
“Late on Friday, whilst in police custody, the man was subsequently further detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and he is now being held at a London police station,” the Metropolitan Police said.
“On Saturday, detectives were granted a warrant of further detention at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, allowing them to keep the man in custody until October 22, when the warrant expires.”
It was confirmed officers attended three addresses in the London area and conducted searches.
A statement added, “One of these searches has concluded and the others are ongoing. A post-mortem examination has taken place today.”
It is believed the suspect travelled 80km by train to the surgery, and reportedly had told the MP’s staff there that he had recently moved to the area.
Security sources told The Mail on Sunday they suspected the attack had been planned.
The suspect had not been on MI5’s “subject of interest” list. But he had been referred to the early stages of the Government Prevent anti-terror scheme.
Police and security services are said to be examining the theory that Mr Ali may have been radicalised online during lockdown.
And they believe the suspect may have been inspired by al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda offshoot operating in Somalia and Kenya. Mr Ali is of Somali heritage. It is understood his family moved to the UK from the war-torn East African country in the 1990s.
It was reported last night he has family ties to Sir David’s Southend West constituency.
Terror probe
Urgent background checks are being carried out to establish any potential links with jihadist groups.
The suspect’s health records are also being examined to check on his psychiatric history.
Essex Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington confirmed that national counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation after the killing was formally declared as a terror attack.
It’s understood Mr Ali had not booked an appointment to see the MP but was allowed a walk-in meeting after waiting 40 minutes.
It is reported that after the attack, he sat quietly in the church waiting for police to arrive.
Witness Anthony Finch said: “He was wearing jeans and a white top and was completely quiet.
“He was in his mid-20s and appeared to be getting into the police car willingly. He was compliant.”
Councillor for neighbouring West Leigh John Lamb said Sir David was with two female members of staff when a man “literally got a knife out and just began stabbing him”.
Mr Lamb told The Sun that the two women, one of whom is PA Julie Cushion, were heartbroken.
“They are devastated. I’ve no idea of the motive. He had no known enemies,” he said.
“I’m told the man was waiting calmly to be seen. It’s horrendous. So awful.”
Sir David, 69, who represented Southend West in Essex, was attacked just after midday at Belfairs Methodist Church. In spite of efforts by paramedics to save him, he died at the scene.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has asked all police forces to review security arrangements for MPs “with immediate effect”, a Home Office spokesman said.
It’s been confirmed that all politicians will be contacted regarding their security arrangements.
Ms Patel said questions are “rightly being asked” about the safety of MPs and she will “provide updates in due course”.
Robert Halfon, Tory MP for Harlow and a friend of Sir David’s, told The Sun: “He was the embodiment of Essex man.
“He was just the most wonderful and kindest and funniest and compassionate politicians that we had the luck to know in our lifetimes.”
Echoes of Jo Cox murder
Friday’s stabbing comes five years after MP Jo Cox, 41, was gunned down and stabbed to death in broad daylight.
The Labour politician and mother was murdered by Thomas Mair, 53, who was sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order.
Jo’s husband Brendan Cox said: “Attacking our elected representatives is an attack on democracy itself.
“There is no excuse, no justification. It is as cowardly as it gets.”
The Jo Cox Foundation, which was started after the MP’s murder, said: “The Jo Cox Foundation is horrified to hear the news of the attack on Sir David Amess MP.
“We are thinking of him, his family and loved ones at this distressing time.”
Sir David had been MP for Southend West since 1997 and first entered parliament in 1983.
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
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