Suspected terrorist Ali Harbi Ali accused of Sir David Amess murder to enter pleas next month

An alleged terrorist accused of stabbing Sir David Amess to death is expected to enter pleas next month.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is charged with murdering the Conservative MP for Southend West during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on October 15.

He is also charged with preparing acts of terrorism between May 1y, 2019 and September this year.

Ali, who is in custody, appeared at the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Sweeney for a preliminary hearing by video-link from Belmarsh prison on Friday.

Wearing a pale blue jumper, he spoke only to confirm his name.

According to a draft indictment, Ali engaged in reconnaissance of locations of targets to attack including addresses associated with MPs and Houses of Parliament.

He also allegedly made in internet research relating to targets to attack.

The senior judge set a preparatory and plea hearing for December 21.

A provisional trial date has already been identified for March 7 next year.

Following the brief hearing, the defendant was remanded into custody.

Ali is accused of travelling by train from his home in Kentish Town, north London, to attend Sir David’s surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church.

During the meeting, he was allegedly seen to use his mobile phone before standing up, producing a large knife from his pocket and repeatedly stabbing Sir David.

The veteran MP was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.10pm and a preliminary post-mortem report gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the chest.

Source: Metro