LONDON — The Metropolitan Police Service has formally charged a 45-year-old man with multiple counts of attempted murder following a series of violent incidents, including the stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area of north London, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The suspect, identified as Essa Suleiman, a British national originally born in Somalia, faces two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place in connection with the Golders Green attack. He has also been separately charged with attempted murder linked to an earlier incident the same day in Great Dover Street, located in south London.
According to police, the sequence of events began at approximately 08:50 BST on Wednesday, when officers were called to reports of a disturbance on Great Dover Street. Investigators say the suspect was allegedly involved in a confrontation with a local resident, during which the victim sustained minor injuries before the suspect fled the scene.
Later that day, emergency services were again alerted—this time to a serious stabbing in Golders Green, a neighborhood known for its large and long-established Jewish community. Upon arrival, officers found two victims with stab wounds.
The injured men were identified as Shilome Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, who is also locally known as Moshe Shine. Both were treated by paramedics and transported to hospital. Authorities have not publicly disclosed full details of their conditions, but sources indicate that at least one of the victims sustained serious injuries.
Police have stated that, based on initial evidence and witness accounts, the attack is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime, and is under active investigation by specialist officers from counterterrorism command units.
“The nature of the incident, combined with information gathered so far, means we are keeping an open mind regarding motivation, including potential links to extremism,” a police spokesperson said.
Armed officers responded swiftly to the Golders Green scene, where the suspect was subdued using a Taser and arrested without further injury to the public. A knife believed to have been used in the attack was recovered at the scene.
Authorities confirmed that Suleiman entered the United Kingdom legally as a child and is currently a British citizen. He remains in police custody and is expected to appear before a London magistrates’ court.
Security has been increased in parts of north London, particularly around Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centers, as a precautionary measure. Community leaders have expressed concern over the incident, calling for calm while urging authorities to ensure justice is served.
The investigation remains ongoing, with detectives appealing for witnesses and anyone with relevant information or footage to come forward.
Further updates are expected as the case progresses through the courts. Make short headlines
