Essa Suleiman is currently remanded in custody after being charged with three counts of attempted murder in connection with a knife attack in Golders Green, north London, on 29 April 2026. Metropolitan Police declared the attack a terrorist incident, and Suleiman appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on 1 May 2026 before being remanded to the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey) for a hearing on 15 May 2026.

Who Is Essa Suleiman?

Essa Suleiman is a 45-year-old man born on 2 February 1981. He is a Somali-born British citizen who was living in Camberwell, south London, at the time of the attack. Suleiman has a previous criminal history in the UK. In 2008 he received an IPP — Imprisonment for Public Protection — sentence after being convicted of stabbing a police officer and the officer’s dog. An IPP sentence is an indeterminate custodial sentence, meaning the prisoner must serve a minimum term but can only be released when the Parole Board deems them safe. For more information on how the Parole Board works in the UK, see our Parole Board guide.

Suleiman was eventually released from prison around 2020 and was placed on the government’s Prevent anti-radicalisation programme. However, his case was closed relatively quickly after authorities decided he did not present a terrorism risk at that time. He was living in the community when the April 2026 attack occurred.

What Happened in Golders Green on 29 April 2026?

On the morning of 29 April 2026, Essa Suleiman is alleged to have carried out two separate knife attacks in London. The first incident took place in Great Dover Street, Southwark, south London, where a man named Ishmail Hussein — described as a long-time friend of Suleiman — was stabbed. Hussein sustained injuries in the attack.

Later the same day, Suleiman is alleged to have travelled north to Golders Green in the London Borough of Barnet. Golders Green is a well-known area with a large Jewish community. Suleiman is accused of attacking two Jewish men: Shloime Rand, 34, and Norman Shine, 76. Both men were injured during the attack. Metropolitan Police officers attended and arrested Suleiman at or near the scene.

The attack prompted an immediate response from counter-terrorism officers and led the government to raise the UK national terrorism threat level in the days that followed.

What Charges Does Essa Suleiman Face?

Essa Suleiman has been charged with the following offences in connection with the events of 29 April 2026:

• Two counts of attempted murder in relation to the Golders Green attack on Shloime Rand and Norman Shine
• One count of attempted murder in relation to the earlier attack in Great Dover Street on Ishmail Hussein
• One count of possession of a bladed article in a public place

Suleiman has not yet entered formal pleas to any of the charges. He is being held in custody on remand. All charges are allegations that have not yet been tested in a Crown Court trial. If you need to send money to someone held on remand, our guide on how to send money to a prisoner explains the process.

Why Is the Golders Green Attack Being Treated as Terrorism?

Metropolitan Police announced shortly after Suleiman’s arrest that the Golders Green attack was being treated as a terrorist incident. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command assumed responsibility for the investigation. Police and prosecutors indicated that the attack on the two men in Golders Green appeared to be motivated by their visible Jewish identity, with Suleiman allegedly targeting them on the basis of their religion.

The attack caused significant concern across the UK. It led the government to raise the national terrorism threat level, which is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) based on intelligence assessments. The incident also prompted parliamentary scrutiny of how Suleiman had been released from his previous IPP sentence and then removed from the Prevent programme, raising questions about risk management procedures for individuals with violent criminal histories.

What Happens Next for Essa Suleiman?

Essa Suleiman is scheduled to appear at the Central Criminal Court — the Old Bailey — on 15 May 2026. At that hearing, the case will be managed further and Suleiman is expected to be asked to formally enter pleas. Because the case involves terrorism-related charges, it is subject to particular scrutiny from the Crown Prosecution Service’s specialist terrorism prosecutors.

Given the seriousness of the charges and Suleiman’s existing criminal record — including his previous IPP conviction — any sentence in the event of a future guilty verdict is likely to be substantial. Cases of this nature can take many months or longer to reach a full trial. Essa Suleiman remains remanded in custody throughout this pre-trial period. For guidance on visiting a prisoner held on remand, see our prison visit booking guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Essa Suleiman in prison?

Essa Suleiman is remanded in custody — held in a UK prison while awaiting his Crown Court hearing — after being charged with three counts of attempted murder connected to knife attacks in Golders Green and Southwark on 29 April 2026. Police treated the Golders Green attack as a terrorist incident. No guilty verdict has been entered and Suleiman has not formally entered pleas.

What did Essa Suleiman do?

Essa Suleiman is alleged to have carried out two knife attacks on 29 April 2026. He allegedly stabbed a man in Southwark earlier in the day, and then attacked two Jewish men in Golders Green, north London, later the same day. Metropolitan Police declared the Golders Green attack a terrorist incident, stating it appeared to be motivated by anti-Semitism.

Has Essa Suleiman been in prison before?

Yes. Essa Suleiman received an IPP — Imprisonment for Public Protection — sentence in 2008 after being convicted of stabbing a police officer and the officer’s police dog. He was released from prison around 2020 and placed on the government’s Prevent anti-radicalisation programme, though his case was subsequently closed by authorities who assessed he did not present a terrorism risk at that time.

When does Essa Suleiman appear at the Old Bailey?

Essa Suleiman is scheduled to appear at the Central Criminal Court — the Old Bailey — on 15 May 2026. At that hearing, the case will be further managed and Suleiman is expected to formally enter pleas to the charges he faces.

Is the Golders Green attack being treated as terrorism?

Yes. Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation and police declared the Golders Green attack a terrorist incident shortly after Suleiman was arrested. The attack is alleged to have been motivated by the Jewish identity of the victims. The UK government raised the national terrorism threat level following the incident.