London assailant charged with attempted murder over terror stabbing of two Jews

Key Points:

• Essa Suleiman, a 45-year-old British citizen born in Somalia, has been charged with attempted murder following an antisemitic stabbing attack in Golders Green, north London, where two Jewish men were seriously injured.
• Suleiman is also charged with attempted murder related to a separate incident earlier the same day and has a prior conviction for stabbing a police officer in 2008, for which he was given an indeterminate sentence.
• The national terrorism threat level in the UK was raised to the second-highest following the attack, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to vow stronger protections for the Jewish community and propose tougher measures against extremist threats, including those linked to Iran.
• The government faces criticism over the effectiveness of its counter-radicalization Prevent program, as Suleiman had been referred to the program in 2020 but his case was closed quickly; similar concerns arose after another recent terror attack linked to a former Prevent participant.
• Antisemitic incidents in the UK have surged since the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, with 3,700 reported in 2025, and the Jewish community in areas like Golders Green continues to face heightened threats amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests and violence.