Killing of Sir David Amess MP a ‘Terrorist Incident’, Suspect Reportedly of Somali Heritage

The Metropolitan Police force’s Counter-Terrorism Command has declared the stabbing murder of Sir David Amess MP a “terrorist incident”, with “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism” currently suspected.

The suspect in the killing of Sir David, a committed Christian, father-of-five, and animal welfare champion who had served in the House of Commons for close to 40 years, has been variously described by British news outlets including the BBC, Sky News, and The Times as a 25-year-old British national of “Somali heritage”, “Somali origin”, or “Somali descent”.

Whether the suspect is a British-born citizen with Somali roots or a Somali migrant who later gained British citizenship is not entirely clear from these reports, which cite government and security sources. Officially, Counter-Terrorism Command have described him only as “A 25-year-old British man”.

Breitbart London contacted the Metropolitan Police seeking clarification, but they insist they are “not issuing further background info” at this time.

“The early investigation has revealed a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism,” the official Metropolitan Police statement announcing the declaration of the killing as a “terrorist incident” explains.

“A 25-year-old British man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. He is currently in custody at a police station in Essex,” the force continues, adding that “As part of the investigation, officers are currently carrying out searches at two addresses in the London area” and that they believe the suspect “acted alone”.

Detectives dealing with the investigation are urging “any witnesses or anyone with information about this incident to contact police.”

Sir David was stabbed multiple times at the Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, while holding a constituency surgery, at which parliamentarians meet members of the public from their constituency — roughly equivalent to a U.S. electoral district — and succumbed to his injuries at the scene despite the efforts of first responders.

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