On Friday, the Conservative British politician Davis Amess was stabbed to death after meeting voters in a church in the small town of Leigh-on-Sea.
The assassination of a British politician has sent shock waves across Britain, and questions are now being raised about the security of politicians on the island.
A 25-year-old British citizen of Somali origin was arrested shortly after the attack.
The man, who according to British media is called Ali Harbi Ali, was known to British intelligence.
– LIGHTS LIGHT: Candles are lit in a church in Southend-on-Sea after Davis Amess was killed in the city on Friday. Photo: Adrian Dennis / AFP / NTB
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– Traumatized
Police have determined that the murder was an act of terrorism. The anti-terrorism unit in the police is leading the investigation, and they are investigating whether the motive may be linked to Islamist extremism.
According to several British media, among others Sky News and Sunday Times, the 25-year-old is the son of politician Harbi Ali Kullane.
Kullane confirms to the Sunday Times that his son is in custody and that the anti-terror police have spoken to him.
– I’m very traumatized. “This was not something I had expected or something I had imagined at all,” Kullane told the Sunday Times.
Kullane previously worked as an adviser to the Prime Minister of Somalia, but according to Sky News, he has lived in the UK for the past three years.
He also says that this attack has nothing to do with his work for the Somali government, writes Sky News.
The Somali community in Britain says in a joint statement from several Somali organizations, that they are “deeply shocked and saddened by the senseless violence against an innocent parliamentarian”, writes NTB, quoting AFP.
– MEMORIAL PLACE: Flowers have been laid at places where Amess was killed. Photo: Adrian Dennis / AFP / NTB
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Islamism
Sources tell the Sunday Times that the 25-year-old is “self-radicalized” and acted alone, but that he may have been inspired by al-Shabab in Somalia.
The man charged with murder and terrorism was sent a few years ago on Prevent, a program for those who may be at risk of radicalization, writes BBC. He is said to have not participated long in the program, which is voluntary, and was never formally classified by MI5 as a security threat.
The investigation is still in an initial phase, but preliminary evidence suggests that the motive behind the attack may be linked to extreme Islamism. There are no more suspects in the case.
– SECURITY: The safety of British politicians is being questioned after two murders in five years. Photo: Adrian Dennis / AFP / NTB
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The 25-year-old is said to have entered the church, where Amess held an election campaign meeting, and then stabbed the politician several times.
The family was crushed
69-year-old Davis Amess was married and had four daughters and a son.
The survivors say in a statement that statements of support have given them strength while trying to reconcile with his “cruel” death.
– Strong and brave is an appropriate way to describe David. He was a patriot and a peaceful man, his family writes in a statement that has been published by the London police, writes NTB.
The family writes in the statement that they are “completely crushed” after the murder, but that all the tributes by him have helped them in recent days.
– We ask people to put aside their disagreements and show kindness and love to all. This is the only way forward – put hatred aside and work towards unity, the family writes.
Amess is the second British politician to have been killed in five years. In 2016, Labor politician Jo Cox was killed.
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