Harbi Ali Klan, the former adviser to the Prime Minister of Somalia, has admitted that his son, Ali Harbi Ali, who was born 25 years ago in Britain and holds British citizenship, is the one who stabbed British MP David Amess 17 times during a meeting with his constituents last Friday, according to a report by the "Sunday Times." A reporter from the newspaper visited Klan at his sister's home in London and was informed that members of the Counter-Terrorism Unit had also visited him. Klan expressed his shock, stating, "This is not something I expected or even dreamed of; therefore, I feel very shocked."
The "Sunday Times" reported unnamed intelligence sources indicating that the assailant was not on the radar of MI5, the UK’s domestic intelligence agency, which monitors over 3,000 individuals who could be plotting attacks. Although he was a known "lone actor" and "self-radicalized" individual to counter-terrorism police, he waited for armed officers to arrive at the scene to arrest him after killing the MP in a town called Leigh-on-Sea, located 40 kilometers east of London in Essex.
Authorities believe that the MP's killer "acted alone" and may have become radicalized online, especially during lockdowns imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigations suggest that his motivation may be linked to Islamic extremism. This has raised concerns among security leaders that the killing could inspire other extremists to launch similar attacks on other targets. Consequently, Home Secretary Priti Patel has ordered the police to urgently review security arrangements for all MPs.
The late MP, Sir David Amess, who was 69 years old, was a father of one son and four daughters and had been a Conservative MP for 40 years. He is the second MP to be killed while meeting with constituents since 2016, following Labour MP Jo Cox, who was stabbed that year as well. Amess was known for his socially conservative views and was a prominent opponent of abortion as well as an advocate for animal welfare. The Grand Mufti of Egypt, Sheikh Shawki Allam, was affected by his murder, issuing a statement condemning the crime and asserting that "extremism is no longer limited to a specific country; it has become a disease affecting all nations of the world, making it imperative for us all to cooperate at all levels to eradicate this looming threat that now endangers everyone." Consequently, the police have classified the MP's murder as a terrorist act.
