Jurors shown CCTV footage of terror suspect’s ‘journey to murder MP Sir David Amess’
The footage was played at the trial of Ali Harbi Ali, who is accused of murdering the veteran Tory MP Sir David Amess
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Jurors have been shown chilling CCTV of a terror suspect’s journey to fatally stab Sir David Amess at a constituency appointment, after telling the veteran MP’s aide: “I don’t think I’ll take too long.”
Ali Harbi Ali, 26, could be seen walking alongside unsuspecting members of the publicas he made the near-two-and-a-half hour trek from his home in north London to Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on 15 October last year.
Ali, wearing a long, khaki coat and with a black, backpack slung over his right shoulder, was even seen appearing to give someone directions as he waited at Barking railway station.
The Old Bailey heard he spent about 25 minutes lying in wait, yards from the church building where he was due to meet Sir David, having duped his staff into believing he was a healthcare worker moving to the area and wanted to discuss local matters.
Yvonne Eaves and her partner Darren King arrived for the next appointment, only to be confronted by Ali wielding a bloody knife, the Old Bailey was told.
Jurors heard Ms Eaves’s 999 call, in which she described the fast-moving events.
She told the operator that the attacker had killed Sir David and was threatening to kill them and two of the MP’s female staff at the church.
She said: “Please, please, quick. Now the man is wielding a knife, he’s threatened me ... He’s killed David Amess at Belfairs Methodist Church.”
Asked what was going on, she said: “He’s still wielding the knife, he’s saying he’s going to go and finish him off. He’s got the knife, he won’t put the knife down.”
Ms Eaves appeared to call out to her partner to “come away”, adding: “It’s horrible, it’s horrible.”
She described the weapon as a “big kitchen carving knife” about 12 inches long.
“We tried to get it off him. He won’t. He’s threatened myself, he’s threatened four people here.
“We need an ambulance as well. He wants to get shot apparently. He wants to be a hero. He wants the police to come and shoot him,” she said.
Jurors previously heard that Ali had spent years hatching his plot, prosecutors said, researching a number of potential high-profile political targets including Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Sir Keir Starmer, before settling on 69-year-old Tory backbencher, Sir David.
He stabbed Sir David 21 times with a carving knife with a 12-inch blade as he sent a WhatsApp message apologising to his family and friends, attempting to justify his actions.
Ali then spoke to his worried sister on the phone for 14 minutes, as Sir David lay bleeding to death, before being arrested by two unarmed plain-clothes police officers.
Sir David, a married father-of-five, was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Tuesday, prosecutor Tom Little QC took the jury through a timeline of events leading up to the Sir David’s death, including email exchanges between Ali and the politician’s aide Rebecca Hayton.
On 27 September, Ali emailed Sir David’s office to ask about a meeting. He said he was moving to the area and wanted to get to know his future MP.
He said: “Since I work in healthcare, I would like to know his plans, if any, for the hospital and workers.”
He said he was interested in Christianity and wanted to know whether churches in Southend were at risk.
He added: “Looking forward to seeing you soon. If all appointments are taken, let me know if there’s a cancellation. I’ll be in the local area and will be able to drop by.”
Ms Hayton responded by requesting Ali’s address and full name to check he was a constituent – he gave a postcode in Southend.
The aide told Ali she would be happy to book him in for 15 October.
Ali asked for an appointment at noon. He said: “I don’t really know how long the appointments are but I don’t think I’ll take too long. Thanks for all the help so far.”
The court heard that around the time of the attack on Sir David, Ali sent a Whatsapp message to family and friends which appeared to have been drafted days before.
He allegedly apologised for his actions but said the “the obligations upon me to take revenge for the blood of Muslims were too great.
“The shame of abiding in the very lands that carry out these horrendous acts against my brothers and sisters was too much.”
Ali, from Kentish Town, north London, has denied preparing terrorist acts and murder.
The trial continues.
Additional reporting by PA