The suspected knifeman accused of stabbing two Jewish men in Golders Green on Wednesday is a Somalian-born British national with a “history of serious violence and mental health issues”, police have confirmed.
The 45-year-old was taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene of the attack, which has been declared a “terror incident”, after being tasered as he attempted to stab police officers.
While he has not been named, the Met has confirmed details regarding his background, including that he was born in Somalia but now holds British nationality.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told BBC Breakfast that authorities have established that the man came to the UK “lawfully as a child” from his home country.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “This is another horrendous act of violence directed at our Jewish communities, which follows the targeted series of arson attacks, and it will rightly shock and anger people across London, in the immediate communities, and across the country.
“My first thoughts are with the two British Jews who were attacked while going about their daily lives, as they should be able to do freely and safely in their own local community.
"A 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody. He has a history of serious violence and mental health issues and the investigation is ongoing.”
He added: “Too many Jewish people in this country feel they have to make choices that no Briton should ever have to make, about how they dress, where they go, or how visibly they live their lives. That is completely unacceptable and has gone on for far too long.
“We also need to be honest about the nature of the threat. Antisemitism is fuelled by hateful and extremist ideologies. It comes from hostile states, the extreme right, and the extreme left.
"These are terrorist and hateful belief systems but they are all rooted in racism. They are given space to operate when civic debate is weak, when hatred is excused, and when people are unwilling to challenge it directly.”
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