Who is Essa Suleiman, the suspect in the London terror attack?

Two Jewish men, Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, were stabbed in Golders Green, north London. The attack occurred on Wednesday morning (April 29) and has now been declared a terrorist incident. The Metropolitan Police responded after receiving a stabbing report in Highfield Avenue, BBC reported.

The suspect Essa Suleiman, 45, was arrested on suspicion of attempting to murder and remains in police custody. Suleiman had previously been involved in the government’s counterterror programme, authorities revealed in an update on Thursday (April 30) regarding the incident.

The Keir Starmer government is now facing calls to better safeguard Jewish communities in Britain and combat antisemitism.

We take a look.

Who is Essa Suleiman?

Suleiman was born in Somalia and, in the 1990s, he came to Britain legally as a child. He was now a British citizen. Suleiman was previously recorded as residing in Camberwell, south London, and was reportedly a school security guard in Swindon, England. He was also a former Somali translator.

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Through authorities, it also came to light that he was previously referred to Prevent, a programme that aims to stop people from becoming extremists. However, the very same year, the case was closed.

"We can confirm the suspect was known to the Prevent programme and was subject to a Prevent referral in 2020, which was closed in the same year," police said, according to BBC.

Officials maintained that they would not disclose more details on the Prevent referral due to the ongoing investigation.

"Given the investigation remains ongoing, we will not be providing any further information in respect of this matter at this time, and we remain focused on securing justice for the victims of this attack," the news outlet quoted forces as saying.

Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, noted that Suleiman had a history of “serious violence and mental health issues”.

What authorities revealed about the terror attack

The Metropolitan Police released footage showing the moment officers came face-to-face with the suspect. Other police members also intervened to assist in apprehending Suleiman.

“The suspect refused to show his hands, was violent and continued to pose a clear threat,” the force asserted as quoted by The Standard.

Officers believe that Suleiman is the same man who was involved in a prior “altercation” with an occupant in Great Dover Street, but he was not found then.

Police forces nationwide said they would intensify patrols in Jewish areas in response to Wednesday’s attack.

Greater Manchester Police stated that additional officers had been deployed across the city, with a “high-visibility presence” within Jewish communities in north Manchester, Bury, and Salford, the Independent reported.

West Yorkshire Police and Thames Valley Police both asserted that they would boost patrols to “provide additional reassurance,"

How the stabbing victim and family reacted

"My son was obviously targeted because he was visibly dressed as a Jew," Shloime Rand's father told The Independent. He also said that he wants UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to do more to protect the Jewish community.

Shloime also spoke from the hospital: “I am really happy that it was only these injuries, it wasn’t worse," the publication reported.

“I’ve had a stab in my chest, and yes, my lungs have to recover. The oxygen was now reduced, and I hope I’ll be better soon," he told the BBC.

Pointing out the government's effort to tackle antisemitism, Shloime added, "Maybe from now on, you know, the government will pull their socks up and begin dealing with the problem properly.”

What Starmer said about the incident

Starmer pledged to "bring the full power of the state to bear" on the issue.

When asked on Thursday (April 30) whether the Prevent programme was able to keep the public safe from extremists, Starmer noted, "The government reviewed and made changes," adding, "The investigation is obviously still ongoing, and we have not got all the facts yet."

Essa Suleiman was born in Somalia and, in the 1990s, he came to Britain legally as a child. He was now a British citizen. Image courtesy: X

"We need to be open to learning any further lessons that may come out of this investigation - but we are at a very early stage at this point," the prime minister added, according to BBC.

After being heckled by angry protesters while visiting Golders Green to meet Jewish volunteer organisations, he said that he understands "high levels of anxiety and concern, and the appalling terrorist attack yesterday made it worse."

The government has unveiled an additional 25m pound (around Rs 2,650) in funding to boost police patrols and security in Jewish communities.

Starmer stressed that he is exploring new steps, including stronger powers to "shut down charities that promote antisemitism."

"Prevent hate preachers from entering our country, as well as speeding up sentencing on antisemitic attacks, so there is stronger de facto deterrence," the publication quoted him as saying.

"We need stronger powers to tackle the malign threat posed by states like Iran," the prime minister also called on "everyone decent in this country to open their eyes to Jewish pain."

With inputs from agencies