A 45-year-old man was charged on Friday with attempted murder in the stabbings of two Jewish men in London, the latest in a string of attacks that have sparked fear and anger in Britain’s Jewish community.
Essa Suleiman was remanded into custody after appearing in Westminster Magistrates’ Court to face two counts of the charge related to the attack in Golders Green. He also faces a third count of attempted murder over an incident elsewhere in the city earlier the same day that left a man with minor injuries.
Police have labelled the Golders Green attack an act of terrorism.
Suleiman, a Somalia-born British citizen who lives in London, did not enter any plea. His case was transferred to the Central Criminal Court for a May 15 hearing.
Police say Suleiman was referred in 2020 to the government’s Prevent programme, which tries to steer individuals away from extremism. The police force said his file was closed later the same year, and did not disclose the reason for the referral.
The British government pledged to tackle antisemitism after the stabbings in an area in north London that is an epicentre of Britain’s Jewish community. The victims, aged 34 and 76, were seriously injured. One has since been discharged from a hospital and the other is in stable condition.
