Sir David Amess murder suspect considered assassinating Michael Gove as he jogged

Sir David Amess murder suspect considered assassinating Michael Gove as he jogged

The Old Bailey has heard that Ali Harbi Ali, the sole suspect in the murder of Southend MP Sir David Amess, first considered killing Michael Gove as he was jogging.

On Monday the court was told that Ali was a “committed and fanatical” Islamist terrorist who stabbed Sir David, causing his “cold and calculated murder” during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-sea last October.

It was said that 26-year-old Ali became self-radicalised in 2015 and decided the same year that he would target a sitting British MP.

The jury was informed that Mr Ali decided not to target Gove, as he had separated from his wife and put his house up for sale.

He also researched various other politicians via the internet in the lead up to the fatal attack on Sir David.

The court was also told that he researched how to kill someone via stabbing using online Islamic State tutorials.

It is alleged that Ali cited Sir David’s vote for airstrikes in Syria and his membership of Conservative Friends of Israel as reasons for the attack on him.

Ali denies one count of preparing for acts of terrorism and one count of murder.