The Golders Green terror suspect tried to murder his friend of 20 years two hours before he stabbed two Jewish men near a synagogue and a bus stop, a court has heard.
Essa Suleiman, 45, a Somali-born British national, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place in relation to the attack in north London on Wednesday.
He was also charged with attempted murder in relation to a separate and earlier incident on the same day in Great Dover Street, south London.
The court heard a man, named in court as Ishmail Hussein, was stabbed but suffered minor injuries around two hours before the Golders Green attack began.
His appearance came as it was revealed he had been under the care of South London and Maudsley Trust’s mental health services at the time. In court it was heard he had been living in a supported living setting for people with mental health issues.
Suleiman, of Camberwell, arrived at court in a police van at around 10am led by armed officers in an unmarked Volvo 4×4.
It was heard he is accused of having a black handled knife during the attacks in Highfield Avenue, Golders Green.
He is to have travelled to north London after attacking his friend of two decades earlier that morning.
It is alleged Suleiman called Mr Hussein’s phone several times before he was buzzed into his home at around 7:50am. It is said he was armed with a knife and ‘tried to stab Mr Hussein’ in his upper body, but his friend ‘fended off the attack’.
Essa Suleiman, 45, a Somali-born British national, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder in relation to the Golders Green attack
Suleiman was also charged with another count of attempted murder at an address in Great Dover Street, SE1, two hours before the Golders Green rampage
Essa Suleiman arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday morning
Suleiman, who came to the UK from Somalia legally as a child, is then accused of travelling to Brent Cross underground station before going on to Golders Green.
Mr Rand had been ‘studying in the synagogue’ before he was allegedly stabbed in the chest by Suleiman, the court heard.
‘Mr Rand stumbled backwards and ran in the direction of the synagogue, chased by the defendant’, said prosecutor Emma Harraway.
‘Mr Rand realised his chest was bleeding and there was blood on his shirt. He suffered a puncture lung.’
Suleiman is accused of stabbing Mr Shine a short time later on Golders Green Road.
‘Mr Shine was waiting at the bus stop, and he was also wearing traditional Jewish clothing including a kippah’, said Ms Harraway.
‘As Mr Shine adjusted his kippah Suleiman ran towards him and set upon him, launching a series of aggressive blows.’
The defendant, dressed in a prison-issue grey tracksuit, was accompanied by four security guards while in the dock. He placed his hands on his hips as Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring remanded him in custody, but remained emotionless throughout the court hearing.
Suleiman will next appear at the Old Bailey on May 15.
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’.
Police were called to Golders Green on Wednesday at 11.16am following reports of people stabbed.
Local officers and armed officers attended, alongside the London Ambulance Service. The suspect was Tasered before being arrested.
Two men – Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76 – were treated at the scene for stab wounds. Both men were taken to hospital. Mr Rand has since been released from hospital while Mr Shine remains there in a stable condition after suffering a wound to the neck.
Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: ‘We have authorised two charges of attempted murder against Essa Suleiman, and one of possession of a knife, after two men were stabbed in Golders Green, north-west London, on Wednesday, April 29.
‘We have also authorised an attempted murder charge relating to another man on the same day in a different location.
‘Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
‘We have worked closely with the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command as it carried out its investigation’.
Suleiman has been remanded in police custody following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing investigation. He will appear in court on Friday
He had been under the care of South London and Maudsley Trust’s mental health services, it emerged today.
A spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of the police investigation taking place across London following the incident at Golders Green.
‘This is an ongoing investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this time.’
Sir Keir Starmer ducked a showdown with angry locals in Golders Green yesterday, leading to him being branded a ‘coward’ and a ‘traitor’.
The Prime Minister was booed as his convoy was whisked through the crowds for a closed-door meeting nearly a mile from where Wednesday’s stabbings unfolded.
After meeting police and the CPS at Downing Street, Sir Keir finally travelled to north London, trailing in the wake of Kemi Badenoch, who was there within hours of the horror, and Nigel Farage, who was out speaking to locals yesterday morning.
The road outside his meeting was lined with residents carrying ‘Keir Starmer: Jew Harmer’ posters. From No10, Sir Keir had pledged a ‘swift, agile and visible’ response to the attack.
‘The only thing swift and agile was his exit while being booed and heckled by angry local people,’ said Alex Hearn, from Labour Against Antisemitism, after the PM’s 90-minute visit.
‘It is almost unheard of for Britain’s Jewish community to protest like this but they are sick of the meaningless platitudes when attacks keep happening day in, day out.’
Boos rang out as a convoy of cars carrying Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer drives past protesters in Golders Green yesterday
Sir Keir’s arrival 24 hours after the double stabbing was described as his ‘Grenfell moment’, referring to Theresa May refusing to meet with residents after the 2017 tower block fire.
Mike Freer, the former Conservative MP for Golders Green, said: ‘Theresa May was pilloried by the opposition because she didn’t engage with the victims of Grenfell Tower. Has the Prime Minister learnt nothing?
‘The community is fed up with warm words and photoshoots – they want concrete action to keep their community safe.’
The UK terror threat was last night raised to ‘severe’ – the second highest level.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: ‘As the threat level rises, I urge everyone to be vigilant as they go about their daily lives, and report any concerns they have to the police.’
She vowed to ‘do everything in our power to rid society of the evil of anti-Semitism’.
