Police were last night probing claims that the suspect in the killing of Sir David Amess may have planned to target another MP.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is said to have considered other national politicians before the veteran Tory died in a knife attack last Friday.
The Mail revealed yesterday that the British-born Muslim was seen near potential targets. Officers are tracing his movements after he was allegedly spotted hanging around offices in central London.
Detectives are examining CCTV to pinpoint his movements in the days leading up to Sir David’s death.
Investigators believe Ali allegedly targeted the MP simply because he had openly advertised his weekly constituency surgery on social media. The suspect was able to book a face-to-face appointment despite not living in the area.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is said to have considered other national politicians before the veteran Tory died in a knife attack last Friday
Sir David, who was a father of five, was stabbed 17 times at the surgery in a church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
Ali’s mother, Jamila Abdulle, has told relatives that he left home last Friday morning to go to pray. She said to her sister: ‘I am in deep shock. Something terrible has happened and my son has been arrested.’
The sister, Anab, told the Mail: ‘On that morning he left home for Friday prayers, and that was the last she heard from him. Then that evening she found out he had been arrested and everything has been a bad dream since then.
‘She was visited by a lot of different police officers, counter-terrorist police, and they all wanted to know about Ali.’
Sir David Amess, who was a father of five, was stabbed 17 times at the surgery in a church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
Ali, who is in custody, received extensive support under the Government’s flagship Prevent counter-terrorism programme after teachers picked up concerning signs
