UK Man Charged with Attempted Murder After Stabbing of Two Jewish Men in Golders Green Terror Attack

LONDON - A 45-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, north London, an attack that police have declared a terrorist incident and has prompted the UK government to raise the national terrorism threat level to "severe" .

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Essa Suleiman, a British citizen born in Somalia who came to the UK legally as a child in the 1990s, faces two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place in relation to the attack on Wednesday . He has also been charged with a separate count of attempted murder in connection with an earlier incident on the same day in Southwark, south London, where he allegedly attacked a former friend at his flat .

The Attack and Victims

The stabbing unfolded in broad daylight in Golders Green, an area in north London that is a focal point of Britain's Jewish community . The victims were identified as Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine (also named locally as Moshe Ben Baila or Norman Shine), 76 .

Both men suffered serious stab wounds and were transported to hospital. Mr. Rand has since been discharged and is recovering at home after receiving stitches, telling the BBC it was a "miracle" he survived and that he feels "like God's given me back my life" . Mr. Shine remains hospitalized in stable condition .

Police officers used a Taser to subdue and arrest Suleiman at the scene following the attack .

Terror Threat Level Raised

The attack has reverberated across the nation, with the UK's official terrorism threat level being raised from "substantial" to "severe," the second-highest rung on a five-point scale. A "severe" level indicates that intelligence agencies consider an attack "highly likely" within the next six months .

Government Response and Community Reaction

The stabbings follow a recent string of arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in London, fueling fear and anger within Britain's Jewish community . Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has warned that the UK is "facing a building pandemic of antisemitism in society," adding that policing is currently dealing with "the symptoms of that disease" .

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who faced boos and heckles when visiting the scene of the attack, has vowed to increase security for the Jewish community and "do everything in our power to stamp this hatred out" . In a televised address from Downing Street, he urged Britons to unite against antisemitism, calling on "everyone decent in this country to open their eyes to Jewish pain, Jewish suffering and Jewish fear" .

The government has announced an extra £25 million ($33 million) to pay for protective security for Jewish synagogues, schools, places of worship, and community centers . However, the leader of the hard-right Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, has accused authorities of being too "soft" on what he calls "discriminatory" chants at pro-Palestinian protests .

Suspect's Background and Court Proceedings

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Suleiman was referred to the government's "Prevent" anti-extremism program in 2020, but his file was closed later that same year. The reason for the referral has not been disclosed . Police have also stated that the suspect has a "history of serious violence and mental health issues" and was a patient at a mental health trust .

Suleiman appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, May 1, wearing a grey tracksuit with bruising around his eyes . Prosecutor Emma Harraway detailed the timeline of the attacks, alleging Suleiman attacked a former friend in south London before carrying out the stabbings in Golders Green . He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at London's Old Bailey court on May 15 .