The man who stabbed two Orthodox Jews in Golders Green on Wednesday was known to the government’s terror Prevent program and was previously jailed for armed assaults.
On Wednesday, Somali-born Essa Suleiman – a British national – stabbed two London Jews with a knife before being overpowered by Jewish volunteer security and Metropolitan Police.
On Friday, Suleiman, 45, was charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place.
Suleiman was also charged with attempted murder in relation to a separate incident on the same date.
On the morning of the Golders Green attack, police were called to an incident at an address in Great Dover Street, where Suleiman had attempted to murder his friend, Ishmail Hussein, at his home. Hussein received minor injuries.
In court on Friday, it was revealed that Suleiman was living in a supported accommodation for people who have been discharged from a secure hospital. South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust then confirmed that Suleiman was under the care of their mental health services until the start of this past week.
It was also revealed that Suleiman had previously been reported to the UK government’s anti-extremism program Prevent in 2020, but the case was later closed.
Suleiman's history of violence against Jews, police
However, an investigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism and confirmed by The Jerusalem Post reveals a long history of violence.
In December 2008, Suleiman was jailed for nine years for stabbing two policemen and a police German shepherd dog.
During the sentencing hearing, the court was told that Suleiman had previous convictions for assaults on police officers.
Judge Douglas Field told Suleiman, “You were responsible for three episodes of grave violence. The first happened in the flat in which you were staying, and you attacked someone who was living there, running at him with a knife raised above your head, then proceeded to assault him to his face and his head. He must have been terrified.
“The police then were called. You pulled out a knife, and you attacked [the officer], firstly attacking the dog. Another police officer intervened, and you maintained the ferocity of your attack. They tried using a Taser on you to no effect.”
The first policeman was stabbed several times in the head, face, and leg, and the dog was knifed in the chest.
At the time of the 2008 attack, Suleiman was working as a security guard at a Swindon primary school.
CAA also received reports that Suleiman had gone in the past to vigils held for the hostages formerly held by Hamas in Gaza, where he was verbally and physically abusive toward Jews, resulting in him being reported to the police.