GOLDERS GREEN — The Metropolitan Police arrested Essa Suleiman, 45, on suspicion of murder following a knife attack in Golders Green, north London, on Wednesday that killed two men and is being treated as terrorism. Suleiman remains in custody as counter-terrorism officers and MI5 conduct an early-stage investigation.

The stabbings occurred just after 11am. Officers shot the suspect with a stun gun to subdue him. The victims were named as Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, with video appearing to show Shine being attacked at a bus stop.

Investigators are examining whether the suspect was targeting Jewish people and which ideology may have triggered the attack. Both an Iran-linked group and Islamic State have supported violence against Jews. Since March, a series of arson attacks on Jewish targets have taken place in London, including two previous incidents in Golders Green.

Officers believe it is most likely that the suspect carried out the attack alone. Met commissioner Mark Rowley said the suspect has a history of serious violence and mental health issues. He has previously been admitted to mental health hospitals.

According to a counter-terrorism police statement, the suspect was known to the Prevent programme and was subject to a Prevent referral in 2020 that was closed the same year. Prevent is a voluntary scheme that aims to divert people away from offending and from a terrorist conviction, and it relies on people reporting those of concern whom they believe may be at risk of supporting or carrying out terrorist violence.

Suleiman was born in February 1981 and came to the United Kingdom as a child. He was registered at an address in south London and previously worked as a Somali translator and as a security guard, sometimes at sports pitches at a school in Wiltshire.