Police probing David Amess murder search Croydon house where Ali Harbi Ali, 25, ‘grew up’ as detectives question his father at north London addres

From the Daily Mail and the Sunday Times. There is speculation as to why Sir David Amess, a backbench MP whose interests were his own constituency and certain charities should have been the target for Ali Harbi Ali, the son of a former media spokesman for the Prime Minister of Somalia. His family live in a prosperous area; they have homes in a good area of London and Nairobi.

One friend told Mailonline that Mr Kullane … who describes himself on Twitter as ‘Former Director of Media and Communication Department at the Office of The Prime Minister Federal Republic of Somalia,’ is currently back in the UK for medical reasons as he was being treated for a heart condition at Bart’s Hospital.

This isn’t a poor boy who grew up in a war torn slum. He may have lived in Essex for a short period but he wasn’t a local constituent. 

Sir David’s being an honorary secretary of the Conservative Friends of Israel and supportive of israel and his Jewish constituents (like most East Enders who saved enough money to buy their own house the Jewish community also found Essex affordable and, until recently, pleasant) may be one reason. About that more later. 

Police have raided the ‘childhood home’ of terror suspect Ali Harbi Ali as part of their probe into the killing of Tory MP Sir David Amess.

Officers searched the home in a quiet street in Croydon, south London, on Friday. A neighbour today told MailOnline how Ali, a 25-year-old British Muslim who is alleged to have murdered the stalwart MP in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on Friday, grew up in the terrace property before leaving in his late teens. 

It comes as Met Police officers were today seen guarding a property in a tree-lined street in north London, where Ali is believed to currently live. 

Harbi Ali Kullane, a former adviser to the prime minister of Somalia, confirmed that his British-born son, Ali Harbi Ali, 25, was in custody. Kullane said that anti-terrorist police from Scotland Yard had visited him. Speaking at his sister’s home in north London last night, Kullane said: “I’m feeling very traumatised. It’s not something that I expected or even dreamt of.”

The suspect was a “self-radicalised” lone operative known to counterterrorist police, according to Whitehall sources. He is believed to have been referred to Prevent, the government’s deradicalisation programme,

Police and the security services believe Ali was acting alone. Investigators are examining the theory that he was radicalised online during lockdown.

Officers were yesterday granted a further warrant to detain him until Friday under terrorism laws. Scotland Yard said that early inquiries had uncovered “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism”.

Amess, 69, an MP for almost 40 years, was a devout Roman Catholic who was guided in his daily life by his strong faith. 

Security chiefs are concerned that the murder could embolden other extremists to carry out copycat attacks on other prominent targets.

It comes as security sources told The Mail on Sunday how they believed the killer of Sir David had planned the murderous assault more than a week in advance.

Sources revealed that the attacker was thought to have booked an appointment at Sir David’s constituency surgery before stabbing the politician 17 times. 

Ali, who is thought to have previously been targeted by the Government’s anti-terror Prevent programme, may have lived in Sir David’s Southend West constituency in Essex in the past. His sister is believed to be living in the constituency.

Investigators will be poring over the suspect’s computers and phones for evidence, as well as examining any previous overseas travel. Although Islamic State has inspired dozens of lone attackers across the world since declaring its short-lived “caliphate” in Syria and Iraq in 2014, intelligence officials believe that al-Qaeda offshoots in Africa could prove to be a bigger inspiration for potential recruits in Britain.

Meanwhile, further into east London Hate preacher Anjem Choudary was condemned last night for suggesting David Amess may have been killed for being ‘pro-Israel’. The extremist said Sir David could also have been killed for being a member of the Tory Party, which has been in power for over a decade, during which time Britain has conducted military operations in Muslim countries.

Speaking from his council home in Ilford, East London, the 54-year-old said: ‘I am not sure about this particular MP’s views. The rumours are that he is pro-Israel, and he is part of the Conservative Party and they have been in power a long time, especially during the campaigns in Muslim countries such as Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan.’

When asked how Mr Amess’s ‘pro-Israel’ stance would make him a target, Choudary replied: ‘Many people do [believe] that it is a terrorist state, and who would possibly be a friend of Israel after you see the carnage that they carried out against Muslims in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and continue to do with the appropriation of properties?’

But Choudary, a trained lawyer, was quick to point out that he does not condone the killing of anyone, let alone an MP, in Britain.

Last night, Professor Anthony Glees, an expert on extremism, said: ‘Not only is it outrageous and repugnant, but the whole motive of the attack is a matter for the police – not Mr Choudary. He adds insult to injury by giving this view. Like all brainwashed radicalisers, he will do everything he can to carry on making his poisonous comments. This is an attempt to radicalise others.’

Scotland Yard police released a statement following the arrest of the suspect Ali Harbi Ali. They said: “Late on Friday, whilst in police custody, the man was subsequently further detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and he is now being held at a London police station. On Saturday, detectives were granted a warrant of further detention at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, allowing them to keep the man in custody until October 22, when the warrant expires.”