British police announced today that the stabbing death of Conservative MP David Amess yesterday is being treated as a terrorist act, indicating that initial investigations have revealed a possible motive linked to extremism.
An eyewitness from a church in Essex, where the shocking incident occurred, recounted horrific details of the attack, emphasizing that the young assailant waited for the MP in the hall and, when approached with a smile, drew a knife and stabbed him multiple times. The witness noted that the Conservative MP was standing at the door of the hall initially, talking with constituents and waving to passersby, beside a sign that read "Everyone is welcome here." Several people were waiting inside to speak with him.
Among those who had arranged to meet the deceased MP, as reported by local Conservative council member John Lamb to The Telegraph, was the young attacker. "It was that simple!" he said.
He added, "There were people waiting for him in the church, while two of his office staff were taking notes and requests; then a person who was waiting his turn approached him and stabbed him... He simply pulled out a knife and stabbed him multiple times." Judith McMahon, deputy chair of the local Conservative Club, indicated that she was informed that "David was stabbed three times, possibly more." Other reports suggested that the prominent MP from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's party was stabbed at least ten times.
The attacker, who was apprehended later, turned out to be 25 years old and of Somali descent. Eyewitnesses reported that the assailant did not say a word to clarify his motives, nor did he attempt to flee the scene or attack anyone else, while those present were terrified and secretly called the police for help. Kevin Buck, deputy chair of the Local Councils Association, stated: "The MP David was stabbed and waited in the church hall until the police arrived. He did not try to escape."
Anthony Finch, an electrician conducting maintenance work in a nearby building, said, "I saw an angry woman on the phone saying, 'You need to get here fast; he is still in the building!'"
Amess was first elected to Parliament to represent Basildon in 1983 and later ran for election in Southend West in 1997. His murder recalled a similar incident in 2010 when Labour MP Stephen Timms survived an attack in his constituency office, as well as the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in a shooting in 2016, just days before the Brexit referendum.
