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 series of attacks that have sparked fear and anger in Britain’s Jewish community.
Essa Suleiman was remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to face two charges relating to the Golders Green attack. He is also facing a third charge of attempted murder stemming from an incident elsewhere in the city earlier that day that left a man with minor injuries.
Police have described the Golders Green attack as an act of terrorism.
Suleiman, a Somali-born British citizen living in London, pleaded no contest. His case was transferred to the High Criminal Court for hearing on May 15.
Police say Suleiman was returned in 2020 to the government’s Deterrence program, which tries to keep people away from extremism. The police force said his file was closed later that year, and did not disclose the reason for the appeal.
The British government pledged to tackle anti-Semitism after a knife attack in north London, the heartland of Britain’s Jewish community. The victims, aged 34 and 76, were seriously injured. One has been released from the hospital and the other is in stable condition.
