Amess's voting record on UK airstrikes in Syria as well as his membership with theConservative Friends of Israel (CFI) were later cited by Ali as motives for his murder.[5][6] Ali said during police interviews that he had been influenced by the propaganda of militant leaderAbu Mohammad al-Adnani, who had called on Muslims to attack people in their home countries who were deemed to be enemies of theIslamic State (IS).[7]
This was the second killing of an MP in the 21st century, following themurder in June 2016 of theLabour MPJo Cox, while en route to aconstituency surgery. Amess wrote in his 2020 autobiography that fears of similar attacks "rather spoilt the great British tradition of the people openly meeting their elected politicians", and that he had faced "nuisance from the odd member of the general public" and insecurity at his own home.[1][4][8] MPs are protected byarmed police within Parliament, with security tightened following the2017 Westminster attack. They are generally not given police protection during surgeries, and are normally accompanied by only one member of staff.[9][10][11] Following Cox's death, parliamentary spending on MPs' personal security rose from under £200,000 to £4.5 million in two years.[4] Amess's murder was the second killing of a British MP in five years and prompted renewed calls for better security.[6]
On 15 October 2021, Amess held a constituency surgery at thechurch hall of Belfairs Methodist Church on Eastwood Road North inLeigh-on-Sea, Essex. He was scheduled to meet constituents from 10 am to 1 pm.[12][13][14] He held a virtual meeting onZoom with a colleague[15][16] and talked to local residents on the steps of the hall before entering the building around 12:05 pm, accompanied by two female members of staff, to speak with people who had arrived earlier. While inside the church hall, a man armed with a knife emerged from a group of constituents and stabbed Amess multiple times.[17][18][19]
Police and paramedics arrived at the scene within minutes.[4][12][18] The suspect waited inside the church hall, where he was arrested and a police cordon was set up.[20] Anair ambulance landed at Belfairs Sports Ground to take Amess to hospital, but the medical team decided that his condition was not stable enough to transport him and so continued to work on him at the scene. His death was confirmed at 1:13 pm.[17][12][18][21][4][further explanation needed]
Following the attack, Prime MinisterBoris Johnson returned to London, where flags were lowered tohalf-mast.[22] Various parliamentary groups, and current and former politicians from across the political spectrum, expressed shock and offered condolences, as did members of theBritish royal family, international politicians, and relatives ofJo Cox. A vigil for Amess was held in his Southend West constituency at 6 pm on the day of his death, and another the next day.[14][23][24][25][26]
Lindsay Hoyle,Speaker of the House of Commons, announced that the security of MPs would be reviewed.[23] The safety of MPs during open, public constituency surgeries was debated by politicians.[27][28] Calls to enact a law to crack down on online targeting of MPs and end anonymity were made.[29] The Conservatives suspended political campaigning.[30]
British Catholic policymakers issued statements affirming Amess's commitment to his faith and lauding his achievements.[35]Sir Bill Cash, a colleague of many decades, referred to Amess as a "martyr for democracy" in theCatholic Herald.[36]
In the days following Amess's death, a number of MPs, including the ConservativeChris Skidmore and Labour'sCharlotte Nichols, voiced their support for a campaign to grant city status to Southend-on-Sea as a way of honouring Amess's memory; he had frequently spoken on the topic in Parliament.[45] During tributes to Amess in the House of Commons on 18 October, Johnson announced thatQueen Elizabeth II had consented to Southend being given city status.[46][47] Southend officially became a city at a ceremony on 1 March 2022, withCharles, Prince of Wales, presentingletters patent from the Queen.[48]
Following the arrest of Ali, who is aBritish Somali, British Somalis reported being subject to abuse, harassment, and death threats.[51][52] A statement was released by Zara Mohammed, the secretary general of theMuslim Council of Britain (MCB), who condemned the attacks and expressed shock on behalf of the Muslim community of Southend. "This is a heinous crime and we utterly condemn it," Mohammed said. "Nobody in the local Muslim community could believe how anybody could brutally murder anyone, never mind Sir David, who was so engaged with them."[53] On 15 October, the MCB issued a formal statement re-affirming the importance of elected officials to be able to serve their communities without threats to their safety.[54]
A procession and memorial service took place at St Mary's Church, theAnglican parish church inPrittlewell, on 22 November. A family statement was read by the former Conservative MPAnn Widdecombe. Afterwards, the casket was processed through the streets in a horse-drawn hearse.[55] A Catholic funeral service was held atWestminster Cathedral on the following day. Johnson was joined by Hoyle, Starmer, and former prime ministers at the service. A message fromPope Francis was delivered by ArchbishopClaudio Gugerotti,Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain.[56]
Counter-terrorist police officers were involved in the early stages of the investigation.[57]Essex Police said that a "25-year-old man was quickly arrested after officers arrived at the scene on suspicion ofmurder and a knife was recovered".[57][58][26] Ali Harbi Ali, fromKentish Town, North London, was arrested at the scene.[59]
When taken to Southend police station, Ali told the booking officer that he had committed "terror". When asked for his motive, he said "religious".[60] In a police interview, he said "I mean, I guess yeah, I killed an MP. I done it, so yeah", then said he regretted that statement because it sounded like aLittle Britain sketch. He said that Amess was suspicious of him and thought he was an undercover reporter. He said that he surrendered to the police "cos my sister was on the phone crying her eyes out".[61]
At approximately 6:32 pm on 15 October, Essex Police announced that the investigation had been handed over to theCounter Terrorism Command of London'sMetropolitan Police.[62] On the evening of 16 October, the Metropolitan Police Service confirmed the suspect had been detained under Section 41 of theTerrorism Act 2000, and that magistrates had extended the period the suspect could be held in custody for questioning until 22 October.[63] On 17 October, police identified the stabbing as a terrorist incident potentially motivated byIslamic extremism.[10][64] Police searched three addresses in London over the weekend following the stabbing.[65]
Ali Harbi Ali was born inSouthwark, central London on 1 February 1996[66] to Somali parents. His father was a former communications adviser to thePrime Minister of Somalia and had worked on several anti-terrorist campaigns against ajihadist group. At the time of the attack, Ali was living with his aunt in acouncil house inKentish Town.[67]
In 2014, as a teenager, he was referred toPrevent, the United Kingdom's voluntary programme for those thought to be at risk ofradicalisation, from which he was referred on to theChannel programme.[68] He is believed not to have spent long in the programme, and he was not a "subject of interest" toMI5.[69]
On 21 October 2021, a prosecutor told Westminster Magistrates' Court that Ali considered himself an affiliate of theIslamic State and that he had planned the attack two years in advance. The court also heard that his actions were "connected to theconflict in Syria".[72][73][74][75]
On 27 October, an inquest was opened into Amess's death, but was immediately suspended "pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings". The coroner's office told the inquest that apost-mortem examination had confirmed that Amess had died from multiple stab wounds to the chest.[17]
At a plea hearing on 21 December, Ali entered not guilty pleas for the charges of murder and preparing acts of terrorism.[76] He was again remanded in custody.[76]
The trial of Ali began on 21 March 2022, at the Old Bailey in London. Prosecutor Tom Little QC described the defendant as a "radicalisedIslamist terrorist" and described the killing as a "murder carried out because of a warped and twisted and violent ideology". Little said the defendant had researched a list of "523 MPs who carried out a vote to carry out airstrikes in Syria", using the websiteTheyWorkForYou and had then carried out reconnaissance trips, including six visits to the address ofMichael Gove in west London in 2021.[77][78][79] Ali had researched other MPs, includingMike Freer and SirKeir Starmer.[80] Ali had visited Freer's constituency office on 17 September 2021, but he was not there as he was attending other meetings.[81] In total, Ali researched over 250 MPs;Jess Phillips said that she was shocked that she was not informed that she was one of them until after Ali's conviction.[82] On 11 April, Ali was found guilty of murder and the preparation of terrorist acts. He refused to stand up to receive the verdict, citing religious beliefs and saying he had "no regrets" in what he did.[83] On 13 April,Mr Justice Sweeney sentenced Ali tolife imprisonment with awhole life order, saying that the murder "struck at the heart of our democracy", and described Ali as a "cold, calculated and dangerous individual".[84][85] Sweeney called Ali "cowardly" for his refusal to accept his guilt and put Amess's family through the ordeal of a trial. Ali reportedly smirked and winked at reporters as he was led away by custody officers. Amess' family said in a statement they felt "no elation" at the verdict, adding: "We shall never get over this tragedy."[86]
The Conservative Member of ParliamentMark Francois proposed an amendment to theOnline Safety Bill to prohibit online anonymity, which he called "David's Law".[29][87] This was criticised as irrelevant by privacy campaigners,[88][89] includingRuth Smeeth, who said "there is no evidence to suggest that there was any link between Sir David's death and online anonymity."[90]
