David Amess murder trial: ‘Horrifying’ details of attack unfold in court

The trial of Ali Harbi Ali, accused of murdering Tory MP Sir David Amess last October, has started at the Old Bailey with “harrowing” evidence presented.

The Southend West MP was killed in a “vicious and frantic attack” by a “fanatical terrorist” who “hoped he would become a martyr,” jurors heard.

Amess was holding meetings with constituents at a church building in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, when he was stabbed on October 15, 2021.

Scouting Gove

On Monday, the first day of the trial, the court heard that Ali was also spying on Michael Gove’s home and investigating a number of MPs, including Keir Starmer, as he plotted an assassination plot instigated by Islamic State propaganda, reports he The guard.

The jury was told Ali considered killing Gove while he was jogging or kicking in his front door and had visited his street.

The Telegraph said prosecutors claimed Ali wrote a digital note on his phone with plans on how to target Gove. He noted that Gove’s door is wooden and “swings into the house” so could be “entered in” but “the best outcome” would be “to meet him jogging”.

The day of the attack

The Old Bailey was told Ali had booked a lunchtime appointment to see Amess by sending an email claiming to be a local health worker. Speaking to an Amess employee, he said, “I’m not sure how long appointments take, but I don’t think it’s going to be too long.”

The jury heard that on the day of the attack, Amess was stabbed in his face, legs, torso and also in his hands while trying to defend himself. After killing the MP, Ali reportedly said, “I want him dead. I want every parliamentary minister who supported the bombing of Syria and agreed to go to war in Iraq to die.”

The 999 call

On the second day of the hearing, a “harrowing” 999 call was reported to the court after the attack was staged Sky news.

Caller Yvonne Eaves, who arranged to meet the MP, told 911 that a man with a “large kitchen knife” killed Amess and “will try to stab the police if they come.” She added that she was worried the attacker “might stab me too.”

When the operator told Eaves to “keep calm,” she replied, “He’s dead. He’s dead. He stabbed him multiple times.” The court heard Ali was waiting for the police to arrive, believing that the officers would be armed and shoot him, turning him into a martyr.

‘I did it’

When asked by police after his arrest whether the attack was terrorism, Ali said, “I mean, I think yes, I killed an MP and I did it.”

He later added: “Oh god, I sound stupid. Nope… just like I put it. It sounds like a Little Britain episode. Um, I just…yeah, it sounded like an act of terrorism.”

He also told officers: “I just remember stabbing him a couple of times in the places I stabbed him and I think the finisher was probably over here on his neck – on his carotid artery – for when I pierced him, dark red blood came out. ”

Amess’ aide has described the “piercing scream” she heard as he was stabbed. Julie Cushion, the MP’s constituency assistant, was in the waiting area when she heard the scream, followed by “a very loud bang which I assumed knocked over furniture”.

Ali, 26, denies killing Amess and also denies preparing terrorist attacks. The process goes on.