Suspect in London Terror Attack Previously Referred to UK Counterterrorism ‘Prevent’ Program

Latest Developments

Suspect Had File in Counterterrorism Program in 2020: London’s Metropolitan Police said that Essa Suleiman, the suspect who executed a terrorist attack in the heavily Jewish London neighborhood of Golders Green on April 29, was previously referred to the United Kingdom’s “Prevent” program, which “aims to stop individuals becoming terrorists,” according to the program’s website. “We can confirm the suspect … was subject to a Prevent referral in 2020, which was closed in the same year,” counterterrorism police said. Suleiman stabbed two Jewish men before being subdued by police and volunteers from a Jewish communal security group.
Iran-Linked Group Claims Attack: The alleged Iran-linked group Ashab al-Yamin claimed responsibility for the terror attack, calling it “heroic.” The group urged further attacks against Jews while framing the violence as defending Palestinians. Ashab al-Yamin has taken credit for several attacks on Jewish targets across Europe in recent weeks, leading counterterrorism officials to examine its links to Iran.
Stabbing Follows String of Attacks: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called an emergency meeting of COBRA, the United Kingdom’s emergency response committee, on April 28. The latest incident is one of at least eight attacks targeting the Jewish community, many in Golders Green, over the past several months, including the March 23 arson attack against four Hatzola ambulances and an April 27 attack on a Golders Green memorial wall.

FDD Expert Response

“British politicians are belatedly recognizing that attacks on the Jewish community amount to a national security emergency. The U.S. government should add its authoritative voice to the growing calls for Britain to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. At this point, such a measure is unlikely to stem the tide of attacks by itself, but it is necessary in order to align the United Kingdom with American and EU policy and to offer some assurance to British Jews that their concerns are being taken seriously.” — Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Fellow

“The fact that Suleiman was referred six years ago to Prevent, only for his case to be closed shortly after, suggests a massive failing on the part of the UK authorities. The United States should encourage and assist its close ally to take the necessary measures to counter the growing wave of Islamist terrorism in which Jews are the first target, but not the last one, in the firing line. The United States must also consider what lessons can be learned from the United Kingdom and Europe more broadly when it comes to dealing with this grave challenge within our own borders.” — Ben Cohen, Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Director

“Authorities should closely scrutinize the possibility that Ashab al-Yamin’s claim is more propaganda than fact. The group’s statement claiming credit for the stabbings contained contradictions, exaggerations, and outright falsehoods. Terrorist organizations are not bound by truth and will go to great lengths, including deception, to achieve their goals. In this case, it is to create maximum psychological terror within the Jewish community in the UK and Europe.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal