Suleiman Charged as Uk National Threat Level Rises to Severe

The UK national threat level was raised to severe on Thursday after the stabbing in Golders Green, while Essa Suleiman, 45, appeared in court on Friday charged with attempted murder. The government said the threat level had been rising “for some time” and was “not solely” because of the incident earlier this week.

Golders Green and Southwark

Suleiman is accused of attacking Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, in Golders Green on Wednesday. He is also alleged to have tried to murder Ishmail Hussein in a knife attack at Hussein’s flat in Southwark earlier that same day.

Rand has now been discharged from hospital. Suleiman also faces a charge of possessing a knife in a public place in Golders Green.

Old Bailey case

Suleiman remains in custody, and his case has been sent to the Old Bailey. He will next appear on 15 May for a preliminary hearing.

The sequence of allegations puts the Southwark attack earlier on Wednesday before the Golders Green attacks later that day, with the threat-level change following on Thursday and the court appearance on Friday. Suleiman is named in the case as the defendant, while Rand, Shine and Hussein are identified as the three men tied to the attacks.

Threat level change

The government said the increased level was not solely the result of the incident earlier in the week. That leaves the court case moving forward separately from the national security response, with the legal process now centered on the Old Bailey and the charge of attempted murder.