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CCTV of suspected Islamist terrorist Ali Harbi Ali just hours before murder of Sir David Amess

CCTV of suspected Islamist terrorist Ali Harbi Ali just hours before murder of Sir David Amess 2

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CCTV footage shows a man understood to be suspected Islamist terrorist Ali Harbi Ali walking along a street in North London just hours before he allegedly stabbed Conservative MP Sir David Amess to death at a constituency meeting in Essex.

The video appears to show the 25-year-old, who is being held by police on suspicion of the murder of Sir David, walking slowly along the pavement on Friday morning while carrying a backpack and wearing a green parka jacket and spectacles.

It is understood the footage was filmed from outside a convenience store on Highgate Road at 8.44am. Ali, who lived a few streets away, is thought to have been walking to Gospel Oak train station at the time.

Police are currently investigating Ali’s movements in the hours leading up to the attack and are looking into whether he boarded a train at Gospel Oak to travel to Leigh-on-Sea, where Sir David was holding a routine constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church.

The 69-year-old veteran Tory, a devout Catholic and prominent supporter of Brexit who was first elected to Parliament in 1983, was allegedly stabbed 17 times on Friday afternoon. It is believed the suspected Islamist terrorist may have chosen his alleged victim at random.

The shop manager told Sky News that police had asked to see the CCTV footage on Saturday morning. He said they specifically asked to see a timeframe of between 0830am – 0900am and that he had handed over a copy of the video. 

Former friends have claimed the man suspected of murdering Sir David became radicalised watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary with police and MI5 also looking whether Sir David was chosen due to his support for Qatar, which has been controversially exerting its influence in Somalia, the country of his diplomat father’s birth.

He is alleged to have shown an interest in radical Islam and was referred to Prevent, believed to be when he was in his late teens. He decided to move in with an aunt and her sons in a council house in the upmarket North London enclave of Kentish Town, in a street of £2million three-storey townhouses.

Ali was referred to the flagship anti-extremism scheme, Prevent, which aims to stop individuals becoming terrorists. But there are major questions after his behaviour was not considered to be extreme enough to alert MI5. These referrals are not currently mandatory.

His referral is understood to have coincided with a deterioration in his relationship with his Somali-born parents. Ali’s parents split up when he was young and his father returned to Somalia. One neighbour, who has known the family for twenty years, said that Ali spoke of hopes of becoming a doctor with the NHS, saying: ‘He told me he’d been doing exams and he seemed westernised.’ 

It comes as: 

  • Boris Johnson told the House of Commons that Southend -on-sea will be accorded city status in honour of Sir David Amess;
  • Ali Harbi Ali was referred to counter-terrorism programme Prevent – but not considered ‘extreme enough’ to be passed on to MI5. Friends warned that he was becoming an extremist and was being whipped up by Anjem Choudary’s YouTube videos, which he was ‘utterly obsessed’ with;
  • Spies and police scour suspect’s family connections to Somalia and Kenya for any clues and whether Sir David’s campaigning for Qatar could form part of killer’s motive. But one government insider claimed: ‘He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted’;
  • Westminster politicians are split over whether police should protect them at constituency events or if private security should be deployed instead;
  • MPs this afternoon paid tribute to Sir David Amess as politicians on all sides grieve his death;
  • Dominic Raab says he has had serious threats to his life – and admits he is open to discussion on MPs wearing stab vests at events. Senior Tory Tobias Ellwood has called on constituency meetings being paused;  
  • The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox, Brendan Cox, said people needed to challenge comments which ‘celebrate political segregation’ citing people who say ‘I’ve never kissed a Tory’ as a ‘badge of honour’;
CCTV footage shows a man understood to be suspected Islamist terrorist Ali Harbi Ali walking along a street in North London just hours before he allegedly stabbed Conservative MP Sir David Amess to death

CCTV footage shows a man understood to be suspected Islamist terrorist Ali Harbi Ali walking along a street in North London just hours before he allegedly stabbed Conservative MP Sir David Amess to death

The video appears to show the 25-year-old, who is being held by police on suspicion of the murder of Sir David, walking slowly along the pavement on Friday morning while carrying a backpack and wearing a green parka jacket and spectacles

The video appears to show the 25-year-old, who is being held by police on suspicion of the murder of Sir David, walking slowly along the pavement on Friday morning while carrying a backpack and wearing a green parka jacket and spectacles

Ali Harbi Ali

Sir David Amess

Police are currently investigating Ali’s movements in the hours leading up to the attack and are looking into whether he boarded a train at Gospel Oak station to travel to Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Sir David was holding a routine constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and SNP Wesminster leader Ian Blackford attend a service of remembrance for British MP David Amess

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and SNP Wesminster leader Ian Blackford attend a service of remembrance for British MP David Amess

The House of Commons pictured today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess

The House of Commons pictured today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess

Julia Amess, the widow of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, arrives to view flowers and tributes left for her late husband at Belfairs Methodist Church and speaks to the vicar with her daughter Flo behind her

Julia Amess, the widow of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, arrives to view flowers and tributes left for her late husband at Belfairs Methodist Church and speaks to the vicar with her daughter Flo behind her

Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the 69-year-old Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Reports had initially suggested that Sir David, a devout Roman Catholic and prominent Brexiteer who was MP for Southend West, had been selected because of his political views or religion.

Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday.

DO YOU KNOW ALI HARBI ALI? 

It was revealed today that the father of the terror suspect was given death threats by jihadis and ‘despises terrorists’ after being intimidated by al-Shabaab extremists in his native Somalia. 

Harbi Ali Kullane was once a spin doctor for the prime minister of Somalia before fleeing the country for London just before his eldest son Ali was born in Southwark in 1996. He went on to have three more children with his wife.

A security source said: ‘He was quite involved in countering al-Shabaab’s message in his role as comms director, and he received death threats from them for doing so, which is common for anyone involved in a high-profile position in the Government’.

But his son was referred to an official deradicalisation course after a teacher spotted his extremist views at least five years ago after becoming a ‘huge fan’ of hate preacher Anjem Choudary – and this may go some way to explaining why he is estranged from his parents.

The same insider told the Telegraph: ‘He (Harbi Ali Kullane) himself despises terrorists, so it would be hard to imagine how his son has become radicalised as a result’.

Mr Kullane has reportedly been spoken to by counter-terrorism police from Scotland Yard with specialists working with MI5 and MI6 to analysing his phone to see if it offers any explanation for his son’s motive or his movements in the days and hours before the Tory MP was murdered in a Leigh-on-Sea church. 

Sources close to the investigation believe Ali may have considered killing other MPs, including Labour and Tory politicians, before picking Sir David, according to The Telegraph. One government insider told the paper: ‘He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted.’

The revelation raises urgent questions about the mentoring scheme and whether an opportunity was missed to avert the MP’s horrific murder.

Sir David in happier times with wife and family at daughter Flo’s wedding to American Shawn Braddy in 2019. From centre Flo, Sir David, Julia, Katie, Sarah and Alexandra

Sir David in happier times with wife and family at daughter Flo’s wedding to American Shawn Braddy in 2019. From centre Flo, Sir David, Julia, Katie, Sarah and Alexandra 

The Rev Clifford Newman of Belfairs Methodist Church, hugs Julia Amess as she arrived. Rev Newman has said that the church where Sir David was killed “has been defiled” by the murderer

The Rev Clifford Newman of Belfairs Methodist Church, hugs Julia Amess as she arrived. Rev Newman has said that the church where Sir David was killed ‘has been defiled’ by the murderer

Sir David's son in law Shawn (far right), husband to Flo Amess, looks at the messages and flowers at the church in Leigh-on-Sea today

Sir David’s son in law Shawn (far right), husband to Flo Amess, looks at the messages and flowers at the church in Leigh-on-Sea today

Flo Amess leads the family with her husband Shawn (far right) followed by her mother Julia (centre left) and her sister Katie (centre right with blonde hair) along with her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang (far left)

Flo Amess leads the family with her husband Shawn (far right) followed by her mother Julia (centre left) and her sister Katie (centre right with blonde hair) along with her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang (far left)

Flo hugged her mother (centre right) as the read the messages of love for Sir David, the second MP to be murdered in six years

Flo hugged her mother (centre right) as the read the messages of love for Sir David, the second MP to be murdered in six years

Conservative MP for Southend West Sir David Amess, pictured with his wife Julia and his four daughters as he gave away Alexandra Amess in August. Alexandra was not at the church today as the family grieves his loss

Conservative MP for Southend West Sir David Amess, pictured with his wife Julia and his four daughters as he gave away Alexandra Amess in August. Alexandra was not at the church today as the family grieves his loss

The seat of Sir David Amess was left empty in a touching tribute to the MP during Monday's House of Commons session

The seat of Sir David Amess was left empty in a touching tribute to the MP during Monday’s House of Commons session

Candles left at a vigil for MP Sir David Amess outside parliament in London, Britain, 18 October, 2021

Candles left at a vigil for MP Sir David Amess outside parliament in London, Britain, 18 October, 2021

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves a memorial service for Sir David Amess at St Margaret's church on October 18

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves a memorial service for Sir David Amess at St Margaret’s church on October 18

Welcome to the new CITY of Southend: Jellied eels, hen dos and the world’s longest pier loved by Jamie Oliver… Queen grants Essex seaside resort gleaming new status in honour of murdered MP David Amess 

The Queen has granted Southend city status in tribute to Conservative MP Sir David Amess , the veteran politician who led a decades-long campaign for the move for the Essex seaside town until he was allegedly stabbed to death by a suspected terrorist.

Boris Johnson announced the move today in the Commons as he led passionate cross-party tributes in the House to one of the ‘nicest, kindest and most gentle’ of parliamentarians.

Southend was one of several towns competing for city status as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June next year, with Sir David having pushed for the recognition for at least two decades.

With a population of around 183,000, Southend is a large coastal town and is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier, measuring 1.33 miles. It also has London Southend Airport less than two miles north of the town centre.

Cities historically were settlements with cathedrals, which is why small places such as Ely in Cambridgeshire and Salisbury remain cities. But having a cathedral is no longer an official requirement for a city-aspiring town. In recent years, towns have been able to apply to the Government for city status via competitions by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

At the last competition, held to honour the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee nine years ago, three towns were granted city status – Perth, Chelmsford and St Asaph. In 2002, Preston became a city, while Brighton and Wolverhampton were granted the upgrade to mark the turn of the millennium.

The Prime Minister praised the Southend West MP as a politician who ‘simply wanted to serve the people of Essex’ as a backbench Conservative. He vowed that the ‘contemptible act of violence’ that took Sir David’s life on Friday at a constituency surgery would not ‘detract from his accomplishments as a politician or as a human being’.

Police are also investigating the alleged close ties between Sir David and Qatar. The Tory MP was chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Gulf state and returned from his latest visit there on Wednesday last week. The man being questioned over the stabbing is the son of a former adviser to the office of the Prime Minister of Somalia. Qatar supports the present Somali President. Security sources told The Times that all avenues were being explored in the case.

Last night former friends of Ali, a British national of Somali heritage who grew up in a three-bed 1980s terrace house in Croydon with his mother, two sisters and brother, claimed he was radicalised after watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Speaking to The Sun, they claimed the videos turned Ali from a ‘popular pupil into an extremist’.

Sir David’s family said their hearts had been ‘shattered’ by his ‘cruel and violent death’ at a constituency surgery in Essex. They said they could not understand why the ‘patriot and a man of peace’ was targeted by a knifeman he had never met.

The 69-year-old father of five was ambushed at his Friday meeting with the public and stabbed 17 times in a frenzied attack.

In a heartbreaking statement his family called for people to ‘set aside hatred’, adding: ‘Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. Whatever one’s race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man.’

Sir David’s heartbroken wife and children today visited the church where the Tory politician was stabbed to death. His widow Julia Amess wiped away tears as she read messages of love for her late husband outside the Belfairs Methodist Church along with two of their five children this morning – hours before Boris Johnson revealed the Queen has given Sir David’s beloved Southend-on-Sea city status in his memory.

Mrs Amess, who also worked for her husband as a part-time caseworker for his Southend West constituency, came to mourn her husband hours after the family said that their hearts had been ‘shattered’ by his ‘cruel and violent death’ at a constituency surgery in Essex. They said they could not understand why the ‘patriot and a man of peace’ was targeted by a knifeman he had never met.

The Prime Minister led a sombre procession of around 800 politicians as they filed in to a church service to remember their murdered colleague, Sir David. Wearing black suits, dresses, and facemasks, the MPs and peers walked from Parliament to St Margaret’s Church in Westminster Abbey, central London. Ministers followed Mr Johnson and took their seats in the pews while organ music filled the church. 

MPs and peers fell silent as the service to remember Sir David Amess at St Margaret’s in Westminster Abbey began. Politicians from all parties, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel and Lisa Nandy sat in the rows behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who sat on the front row nearby Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of Sir David as a ‘friend to his constituents’ who had a ‘robust fairness of spirit and charity of heart’ which endeared him to MPs from all parties. 

Justin Welby said: ‘He was of the best, and his name will be remembered with Airey Neave, Robert Bradford, Anthony Berry, Ian Gow and Jo Cox, those MPs murdered since 1945, and others – like Andrew Pennington – who have died in the course of public service.

‘Public service in politics is a sacrifice that should be honoured and respected, even when differences of opinion run very deep indeed.’

Sir David had walked his daughter Flo down the aisle in 2019 and she was at her mother’s side today with her American husband Shawn. Flo’s sister Katie, an actress and model, also came to look at the flowers and mourn her father while supported by her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang. But Alexandra, who the MP gave away at her wedding in August, daughter Sarah and son David Jr were not at the church today.

Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the veteran Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday

Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the veteran Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks in the chamber of the House of Commons, Westminster, as MPs gather to pay tribute to Conservative MP Sir David Amess

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks in the chamber of the House of Commons, Westminster, as MPs gather to pay tribute to Conservative MP Sir David Amess

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel in the chamber of the House of Commons today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel in the chamber of the House of Commons today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess

Matt Hancock talks with fellow MPs as thy walk from the Houses of Parliament to attend a service to pay tribute to slain British lawmaker David Amess

Matt Hancock talks with fellow MPs as thy walk from the Houses of Parliament to attend a service to pay tribute to slain British lawmaker David Amess

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, along with MPs and peers, arrives at The Church of St Margaret, in the grounds of Westminster Abbey, London, to attend a service to honour Sir David Amess

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, along with MPs and peers, arrives at The Church of St Margaret, in the grounds of Westminster Abbey, London, to attend a service to honour Sir David Amess

Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord McFall of Alcluith speaks during a service to honour Sir David Amess at the Church of St Margaret

Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord McFall of Alcluith speaks during a service to honour Sir David Amess at the Church of St Margaret

Julia cried as she viewed the huge number of floral tributes piled outside the church where her husband was stabbed to death. Family members comforted one another, with one placing an arm around her, and they stayed for around 15 minutes.

The minister of Belfairs, Rev Clifford Newman, hugged Sir David’s widow during the family visit to the church. The six visitors bowed their heads and formed a semi-circle around the churchman as he gave a short private address.

Shock: Harbi Ali Kullane, who was a Somali government adviser who reportedly became estranged from his son

Shock: Harbi Ali Kullane, who was a Somali government adviser who reportedly became estranged from his son

It came hours before the Queen granted the veteran politician his 20-year wish of Southend becoming a city as the Commons gathered to express its grief at his killing.

Mr Johnson told a packed chamber the attack on the Tory veteran had been ‘contemptible’ and struck at the ‘core’ of what it means to be an MP as colleagues paid emotional tributes.

He insisted that the fundamental functions of democracy would not be damaged by the murder of ‘one of the nicest, kindest and most gentle’ individuals ever to have sat in the House. 

Mr Johnson said all MPs mourn with Sir David’s family, adding in the Commons: ‘Sir David was taken from us in a contemptible act of violence striking at the core of what it is to be a member of this House, and violating both the sanctity of the church in which he was killed and the constituency surgery that is so essential to our representative democracy.

‘But we will not allow the manner of Sir David’s death in any way to detract from his accomplishments as a politician or as a human being.

‘Sir David was a patriot who believed passionately in this country, in its people and in its future. He was also one of the nicest, kindest and most gentle individuals ever to grace these benches.’ 

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon. It is believed the suspected Islamist terrorist may have chosen his victim at random having become obsessed with killing any MP.

His friends have claimed he was further radicalised and turned into a lone-wolf killer during lockdown watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary with police and MI5 also looking whether Sir David was chosen due to his support for Qatar, which has been exerting its influence in Somalia, the country of his diplomat father’s birth.

Ali, the son of a former Somalian diplomat who was born in Britain and raised in Croydon, was referred to the flagship anti-extremism scheme, Prevent, which aims to stop individuals becoming terrorists. But there are major questions after his behaviour was not considered to be extreme enough to alert MI5. These referrals are not currently mandatory.

He is alleged to have shown an interest in radical Islam and was referred to Prevent, believed to be when he was in his late teens. He decided to move in with an aunt and her sons in a council house in the upmarket North London enclave of Kentish Town, in a street of £2million three-storey townhouses. 

Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to the death of Sir David

Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to the death of Sir David

The huge numbers of flowers and tributes at Belfairs Methodist Church today, where Sir David was murdered on Friday

The huge numbers of flowers and tributes at Belfairs Methodist Church today, where Sir David was murdered on Friday

His referral is understood to have coincided with a deterioration in his relationship with his Somali-born parents. Ali’s parents split up when he was young and his father returned to Somalia. One neighbour, who has known the family for twenty years, said that Ali spoke of hopes of becoming a doctor with the NHS, saying: ‘He told me he’d been doing exams and he seemed westernised.’ 

Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the 69-year-old Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Reports had initially suggested that Sir David, a devout Roman Catholic and prominent Brexiteer who was MP for Southend West, had been selected because of his political views or religion.

Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had plotted to kill any national politician – and had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday. 

Sources close to the investigation believe Ali may have considered killing other MPs, including Labour and Tory politicians, before picking Sir David, according to The Telegraph. One government insider told the paper: ‘He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted.’ 

The revelation raises urgent questions about the mentoring scheme and whether an opportunity was missed to avert the MP’s horrific murder. 

Police are also investigating the alleged close ties between Sir David and Qatar. The Tory MP was chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Gulf state and returned from his latest visit there on Wednesday last week. The man being questioned over the stabbing is the son of a former adviser to the office of the Prime Minister of Somalia. Qatar supports the present Somali President. Security sources told The Times that all avenues were being explored in the case. 

Last night former friends of Ali, a British national of Somali heritage who grew up in a three-bed 1980s terrace house in Croydon with his mother, two sisters and brother, claimed he was radicalised after watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Speaking to The Sun, they claimed the videos turned Ali from a ‘popular pupil into an extremist’. 

Detectives meanwhile have been interviewing the father of murder suspect Ali at a home in North London. One former friend, Harbi Farah, told The Sun: ‘I have known his dad Harbi for more than ten years. He’s a good man and this will be very upsetting for him. He’s a well-respected member of the Somali community in Britain and also in Somalia.’ 

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