Father of suspect who killed British lawmaker says he’s ‘traumatised’

MP David Amess was attacked during a regular meeting with his constituents at a church in Leigh-on-Sea, a town about 62km east of London

The Metropolitan Police has described the attack as terrorism and said early investigations suggested ‘a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism’

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Police stand guard outside a house believed to be an address belonging the suspect. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:16pm, 17 Oct 2021Updated: 7:16pm, 17 Oct 2021

The father of a man held for the fatal stabbing of a British lawmaker has told UK media that he is shocked and “traumatised” by his son’s arrest, as police continue questioning the suspect under terrorism laws.

Harbi Ali Kullane, a former adviser to Somalia’s prime minister, said counterterrorism police had visited him, according to the Sunday Times.

“I’m feeling very traumatised. It’s not something that I expected or even dreamed of,” he was quoted as saying.

Members of the public leave flowers for David Amess near the crime scene in Leigh-on-Sea. Photo: EPA-EFE

British authorities have not released the name of the suspect in the fatal stabbing of 69-year-old Conservative lawmaker David Amess on Friday, but British media reported the suspect was Ali Harbi Ali, 25, believed to be a British citizen with Somali heritage.

Amess, a long-serving lawmaker, was attacked during a regular meeting with his constituents at a church in Leigh-on-Sea, a town about 62 kilometres (40 miles) east of London.

The Metropolitan Police has described the attack as terrorism and said early investigations suggested “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism”.