Man jailed after being charged with attempted murder in stabbings of Jewish men in London

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People look out of a window near the scene where two people were stabbed the previous day in the Golders Green neighbourhood, which has a large Jewish community, in London, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Two men walk in London, Thursday, April 30, 2026, near the scene where two people were recently stabbed in the Golders Green neighbourhood, that has a large Jewish community. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) — People look out of a window near the scene where two people were stabbed the previous day in the Golders Green neighbourhood, which has a large Jewish community, in London, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

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2:11 AM on Friday, May 1

The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A 45-year-old man was charged Friday with attempted murder in the stabbings of two Jewish men in London, the latest in a string of attacks that have sparked fear and anger in Britain's Jewish community.

Essa Suleiman was remanded into custody after appearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court to face two counts of the charge related to the attack in Golders Green. He also faces a third count of attempted murder over an incident elsewhere in the city earlier the same day that left a man with minor injuries.

Police have labeled the Golders Green attack an act of terrorism.

Suleiman, a Somalia-born British citizen who lives in London, did not enter any plea. His case was transferred to the Central Criminal Court for a May 15 hearing.

Police say Suleiman was referred in 2020 to the government’s Prevent program, which tries to steer individuals away from extremism. The police force said his file was closed later the same year, and didn’t disclose the reason for the referral.

The British government pledged to tackle antisemitism after the stabbings in an area in north London that is an epicenter of Britain’s Jewish community. The victims, aged 34 and 76, were seriously injured. One has since been discharged from a hospital and the other is in stable condition.

The stabbings followed a string of arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in London in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that his government would increase security for the Jewish community and “do everything in our power to stamp this hatred out.”

Britain’s official terror threat level was raised from substantial to severe after Wednesday’s stabbing attack. Severe is the second-highest rung on a five-point scale and means intelligence agencies consider an attack highly likely in the next six months.

The government said the change was not due solely to the Golders Green attack but also due to increased danger “from Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorist threat from individuals and small groups based in the U.K.”