I feel no shame or regret for killing Sir David Amess, terror suspect tells court

An alleged terrorist who is accused of murdering Sir David Amess MP declared “I don’t have any shame” over the fatal attack, a court has heard.

Ali Harbi Ali is accused of stabbing Sir David more than 20 times during a constituency meeting in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in response to the MP’s voting record on bombing Islamic State in Syria. 

The 26-year-old took to the stand at the Old Bailey on Thursday to tell jurors that he would describe himself as a “moderate Muslim” who wanted to attack a “decision maker” but did not believe he had done anything wrong. 

Mr Ali told Tom Little QC, for the prosecution, that he had no regrets over killing Sir David, whom he referred to as simply “David”, and denied being “utterly shameless”.

He told the jury: “I wouldn’t use the word ‘shameless’, but I don’t have any shame.”

The court heard that the 26-year-old attacked the MP so he could not vote again in Parliament and to “send a message” to other MPs. 

“I decided to do it because I felt that if I could kill someone who made decisions to kill Muslims, it could prevent further harm to those Muslims,” Mr Ali told the jury. 

When asked by Tracy Ayling QC, his defence counsel, what was the point of the attack, he said: “Well, for one he [Sir David] can’t vote again in Parliament.

“If he had previous for doing votes like that, he won’t do it in the future, and perhaps send a message to his colleagues.”

He added: “Votes are a powerful thing. We live in a democracy. We don’t live in a time of Kings and Queens carrying out edicts.”

Appearing calm in the dock as he recounted the events of October 15, Mr Ali responded “no” when he was asked by the prosecution if he regretted the attack.

The court also heard more details about Mr Ali’s plans “to attack and hopefully kill Michael Gove”, who was on his initial list of potential victims along with Sir Keir Starmer and Tory MP Mike Greer. 

Mr Ali told the court: “I believe he [Gove] was someone who was a harm to Muslims.

“I thought if I couldn’t go join Islamic State, I should try and do something here to help Muslims here.”

Jurors heard how Mr Ali, from Kentish Town, north west London, was visited by police in 2014 while he was at school after a teacher had reported concerns over his risk of possibly travelling to Syria to fight for IS. 

He was visited by two officers who asked him about Syria and his feelings towards the Government, and later planned for him to have two meetings with an official from the Home Office, the court heard. 

“I just knew to nod my head and say yes and they would leave me alone afterwards and they did,” Mr Ali told the court. 

“There was supposed to be two meetings but they were happy enough on the first one so I did not hear from them again.”

Wearing a dark top, dark trousers and glasses, Mr Ali – whose family are from Somalia – discussed his childhood in south London.

“It was full of love and care,” he said. “I had a big family who used to come around all the time. I don’t recall any bad memories at the time.”

However, he started to self radicalise around 2014 when he decided he would try go to Syria to fight against President Bashar al-Assad.

The court heard how Mr Ali studied physics, chemistry, biology and maths for his A-Levels but left sixth form in 2015 with poor grades. 

“Seeing wars going on, seeing on the news. As a Muslim, I was obligated to do something during that period. I had the obligation to go and do something.

“I felt I was railroading myself into finishing uni, getting a job, these sorts of things.”

The trial continues.