Prosecutors say man charged with killing U.K. lawmaker considered himself affiliated with ISIS

British prosecutors told a tribunal successful Westminster that a antheral charged with the sidesplitting of a subordinate of Parliament had been readying akin attacks for years and that helium had considered himself affiliated with the Islamic State.

Ali Harbi Ali, a 25-year-old antheral from London, has been charged with execution and preparing acts of terrorism, the Crown Prosecution Service announced earlier his tribunal quality connected Thursday.

David Amess, a long-serving British lawmaker, was stabbed to decease Friday portion gathering with constituents successful a section religion annex successful Southend, Essex. Authorities arrested Ali soon afterward and held him for questioning successful London nether Britain’s Terrorism Act.

The decease of Amess, a 69-year-old lawmaker successful Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party, shook Britain, wherever members of Parliament often conscionable with the nationalist without security. It was the 2nd sidesplitting of a British lawmaker during a nationalist lawsuit successful caller years: Jo Cox, a subordinate of Parliament successful the Labour Party, was fatally changeable and stabbed successful 2016 portion connected her mode to conscionable with constituents.

Appearing successful Westminster Magistrates’ Court connected Thursday afternoon, Ali wore a gray, prison-issue tracksuit and lone spoke to corroborate his name, property and address. He did not participate a plea.

“Ali considered himself affiliated to [the] Islamic State,” authoritative James Cable told the court, Reuters reported. Earlier successful the day, the Crown Prosecution Service told reporters that the transgression “has a violent connection, namely that it had some spiritual and ideological motivations.”

The details of Ali’s alleged affiliation with the Islamic State were not revealed successful tribunal Thursday. The lad of a media advisor to a erstwhile premier curate of Somalia had grown up successful Croydon, southbound London.

The Telegraph reported Thursday that Ali had worked with King’s College Hospital successful London and underwent grooming successful the radiography department, but that helium had not worked for the infirmary oregon Britain’s National Health Service since astatine slightest 2019.

The paper had antecedently reported that successful 2014, portion inactive successful school, Ali had been referred to Prevent, a counterterrorism programme tally by the British government. He was aboriginal declared to not beryllium a hazard and helium was not flagged to quality agencies, the Telegraph reported.

British constabulary person said they are not looking for anyone other successful transportation with Amess’s death. Ali was placed successful custody Thursday and volition look astatine the Old Bailey transgression tribunal connected Friday.

On Wednesday, British Home Secretary Priti Patel told Parliament that the menace level for an onslaught connected members of Parliament was being raised to “substantial,” which means an onslaught is considered likely.