Ali Harbi Ali

2 offences

What the court heard

He was found guilty of murder in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on 15 October 2021 and preparing acts of terrorism between 1 May 2019 and 28 September 2021.Sentencing Remarks The Defendant, who is now aged 26, has been found guilty, on overwhelming evidence, of two grave crimes, namely: Engaging in the preparation of terrorist acts in the period between 1 May 2019 and 28 September 2021- in that, with the intention of killing one or more Members of Parliament and thereby influencing the Government and advancing a religious or ideological cause, he engaged in reconnaissance of locations of targets to attack, including addresses of Members of Parliament and the Houses of Parliament, and also engaged in internet research in relation to targets to attack (Count 1); and the murder, at a constituency surgery held in Leigh-On-Sea on 15 October 2021, of the distinguished, long-serving, and much-loved and admired Member of Parliament Sir David Amess, who the Defendant stabbed many times with a large knife (Count 2). I wish to express the sincere sympathy, and the condolences, of the court to the family, friends, staff, colleagues and constituents of Sir David for the enormity of their loss, and to express the court's sincere admiration for the brave and dignified way in which his family have dealt, in the face of their incalculable loss, with the ordeal of the trial - which was forced upon them by the Defendant's cowardly refusal to face up to his guilt. Sir David was a man of the greatest substance. He had done nothing whatsoever to justify the attack upon him, let alone his murder. On the contrary, he had devoted 38 years of his life to the lawful service of the public, and was engaged in doing so when he was murdered. His loss is one of national significance. Having presided over the trial, I am sure of the following facts: 1. In early 2014 the terrorist organisation ISIS (which had its origins in Iraq) aggressively expanded in Syria, occupying massive territories in the eastern provinces - using Raqqa as the location of its central military command for Syria, and announcing its 'Caliphate'. 2. In September 2014 Sir David Amess was one of 524 Members of Parliament who voted in favour of a motion, consequent on a request from the Government of Iraq for military support, for UK forces (who were part of an international coalition) to take part in bombing missions against ISIS in Iraq. (ISIS ultimately became known as Islamic state, which is how I will refer to it…

Around this case

• Central Criminal Court Crown Court
• Prosecuted by Crown Prosecution Service