SMILING KILLER
Sir David Amess’ smug killer Ali Harbi Ali SMIRKS as he’s sent to die in prison – as family blast him ‘beyond evil’
A FANATICAL terrorist who stabbed Sir David Amess to death today smiled as he was sent to die in prison - as the MP's family slammed him as “beyond evil”.
Extremist Ali Harbi Ali, 26, has been sentenced to a whole life order for killing the MP for Southend West at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in .
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Ali was convicted of the murder of the MP on Monday, as well as preparing terrorist acts, by jurors who spent just 18 minutes considering the case at the Old Bailey.
University drop-out Ali today smiled as he was led to the cell after being handed a whole life sentence for the killing - never to be released.
He put forward no mitigation to the court with Sir David Amess' family blasting his actions that were "beyond evil".
In an emotional statement, they said: "It breaks our heart to know that our husband and father would have greeted the murderer with a smile of friendship and would have been anxious to help.
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"How sickening to think what happened next. There is no elation in our family today following this sentencing. It is beyond evil.
"Our amazing husband and father has been taken from us in an appalling and violent manner. Nothing will ever compensate for that."
Justice Sweeney branded Ali “cowardly” for his refusal to accept his guilt and putting Sir David’s family through the ordeal of a trial.
He said: “I express the court’s sincere admiration of the brave and dignified way the family have handled their loss and the ordeal of the trial, that was brought upon them by the defendant’s cowardly refusal to accept his guilt.
“Sir David had done nothing whatsoever to justify the attack on him. On the contrary, he had devoted 38 years of his life to the service of the public.
"He engaged in doing it when he was murdered. The loss is one of national significance.
"This was a murder that struck at the heart of our democracy."
Current whole-lifers include sexual predator Wayne Couzens, who raped and murdered Sarah Everard, and far-right extremist Thomas Mair, who killed Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016.
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Ali was also handed a concurrent life sentence with a minimum of 30 years for the terrorism offences, and smiled as he was led to the cells.
The Islamic State fanatic attacked the backbench Conservative MP in October last year after posing as someone considering moving to the area.
Callous Ali told the trial that he had no regrets about the killing, believing that Sir David deserved to die because of how he voted for airstrikes on Syria in 2014 and 2015.
The Old Bailey heard that Ali became known to authorities in 2014 and was referred to the Government’s Prevent strategy - but he continued his violent fantasies in secret.
Twisted Ali stabbed Sir David more than 20 times, telling the dad-of-five he was “sorry” before plunging the 12 in carving knife into him.
The so-called "lone wolf" sent a manifesto on to family and friends seeking to justify his actions around the time of the attack.
Disturbing recordings of the sick killer calmly admitting his crimes have now been released by police.
He even told cops how to spell his victim’s name, before detailing the run-up to the brutal slaying on October 15 in broad daylight.
Sir David Amess' family reveal their heartache
There is no elation in our family today following this sentencing. Our amazing husband and father has been taken from us in an appalling and violent manner.
Nothing will ever compensate for that. We will wake each day and immediately feel our loss. We will struggle through each day for the rest of our lives. Our last thought before sleep will be of David. We will forever shed tears for the man we have lost.
We shall never get over this tragedy. It breaks our heart to know that our husband and father would have greeted the murderer with a smile of friendship and would have been anxious to help. How sickening to think what happened next.
It is beyond evil. Our thanks go to the police, in particular the two officers assigned to the family during this dreadful time. Our thanks also to the legal team who worked so tirelessly to ensure that justice was done.
Our special thanks also to the many, many friends and family and of course, the general public, who have been a source of so much strength and love to us since David died.
Somehow, we now have to move on with our lives although none of us really knows where to begin. We would refer to the statement made by our family immediately after this tragedy. Our message remains the same.
We appeal to everyone to treat their fellow human beings with kindness, love and understanding. This is needed more than ever now. We now ask for privacy to rebuild our lives as best we can. There will be no further statements, interviews or indeed any comment. We ask the media to respect this. Thank you.
Chilling CCTV shows Ali making his way to Essex from North London before carrying out the horrific murder.
Ali admitted that the incident was “terror” and bragged that he had “killed an MP” to horrified detectives.
The court heard that he travelled 50 miles by train to carry out the cold-blooded killing, after learning that he could see politicians in person at surgeries.
He emailed the MP’s assistant, falsely claiming that he had moved to the area to get an appointment with Sir David.
Julie Cushion, Sir David Amess’ aide who was present at the time of the killing, said that she will never forget his screams.
She told the court: “I have had to drive by the church of Sir David’s death nearly every day as it’s close to where I live. It’s a constant reminder of what happened.
“I have a huge sense of guilt as I booked the venue. I can never get that scream out of my mind when Sir David was attacked.
“I remember that awful feeling of distress while we waited for help, feeling helpless and hopeless.
"The expression on the perpetrator’s face has stayed with me all the time. A look of smug, self satisfaction.
“I now work for a new MP, but I also have the fear that she could be attacked.”
We were in no hesitation that this was an act of terrorism, just as was the case in the tragic murder of Jo Cox.
Max Hill QC
Ali waved the bloody knife and threatened to kill the MP's two female aides and a couple who had arrived for their appointment.
Sir David's assistant Julie Cushion told jurors he appeared "self-satisfied" in the wake of the brutal killing.
He told officers Sir David immediately suspected a "sting", having been duped into talking about a fake drug "cake" in the television series Brass Eye.
He went on: ";I felt like one minute I was sat down at the table talking to him and the next he was, sort of, dead.
"But, yeah, it's probably one of the strangest days of my life now, y'know?"
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Terrorist Ali admitted that he routinely stalked the Houses of Parliament, to see if he could target any unsuspecting MP’s as they left.
But he was spooked by the dozens of armed police outside, explaining that they were “armed to the teeth";.
Cowardly Ali told cops that he had left home with the intention of undertaking a terror attak “quite a few times” - but had always “bottled it”.
Knife-wielding Ali was later apprehended by two police officers armed only with batons and spray at the time of the killing.
Essex Police Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow praised his officers' "astounding bravery" during the incident.
The court was told how London-born Ali had become self-radicalised in 2014, going on to drop out of university, abandoning ambitions for a career in medicine.
He comes from an influential Somali family and said he had a childhood "full of love and care".
The murdered admited that he considered travelling to Syria to fight but by 2019 opted for an attack in Britain.
We say he was the true example of a committed terrorist and exactly the type of people that we should be focusing our efforts on.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dominic Murphy
Ali bought a £20 knife from Argos six years ago, which he carried in his bag throughout the summer of 2021 as he "scoped out" possible targets.
Ali carried out online research on MPs including Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
He staked out the west London home of Levelling Up Secretary Mr Gove six times and wrote detailed notes on how he might get to him.
Scenarios included mingling with media, bumping into him jogging, ringing his doorbell, and causing a scene to "lure" him out.
Ali rejected the plan after Mr Gove split up with his wife and was thought to have moved out of the family home.
He brazenly told cops: "It was so convenient to go to that address but I just, I don't know why I didn't do that one."
Mr Gove told the court that he felt a "profound pressure" after hearing of Ali's plans.
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He said: "My experience and that of my family is incomparable to the suffering and loss experienced by David's family.
"It has, however, had a very disruptive effect on my family.
"Our security and that of our home was threatened and that has put a profound pressure on our lives.
"Like everyone who knew and worked with David, I have found the impact of losing David has been enormous."
Ali was also spotted lurking outside Finchley MP Mike Freer's constituency office, jurors were told.
Mr Freer added that he had put in extra security measures he had put in place for himself and his staff after being informed by counter-terrorism police he had been targeted.
He said "Since the news of the attack and subsequent visit by police I have been much more mindful of people around me.
"I have been very aware I was potentially at risk from the individual responsible for the attack."
Detective Chief Superintendent Dominic Murphy said: "He spent some time in Prevent and then came out of Prevent and by his own admission, carried on his activity in secret over many years, forming his plan and conducting reconnaissance and focusing his efforts on many MPs.
'COMMITTED TERRORIST'
"We say he was the true example of a committed terrorist and exactly the type of people that we should be focusing our efforts on."
Jurors were told Ali had no mental health issues and he accepted much of the evidence against him, though he denied both charges.
Sir David's family sat in the well of the court, just metres from Ali in the dock, who refused to stand up "on religious grounds" when convicted.
The MP was killed five years after Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox was murdered in her constituency.
Ali joins Far-right extremist Thomas Mair amongst the handful of prisoners in England and Wales subject to a whole-life order.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes said on behalf of the Met: "It's clear that the man who begins a life sentence today is a cold, calculated and dangerous individual.
"Sir David was callously and senselessly murdered, working in his constituency as he had done over a distinguished political career of nearly 40 years."
He added: "Sir David's murder was an attack on democracy, and we will never let terrorists prevail."
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Max Hill QC, Director of Public Prosecutions said: "We were in no hesitation that this was an act of terrorism, just as was the case in the tragic murder of Jo Cox."
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle added that MPs and political staff remain ";traumatised" by the atrocity, and continue to struggle amid fears for their security.
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