THE MAN accused of stabbing veteran MP Sir David Amess went on a "reconnaissance trip" to the home of Communities Secretary Michael Gove, prosecutors have claimed.

Ali Harbi Ali has pleaded not guilty to the murder and to other charges of planning a terrorist attack for more than two years, and preparing terrorist acts. 

Sir David was killed last year on 15 October while holding a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

Tom Little QC, opening the case for the prosecution, told jurors at the Old Bailey that the killing of Southend West MP was “a cold and calculated murder, a murder carried out in a place of worship."

He added: “A murder carried out because of a warped and twisted and violent ideology.

“It was a murder carried out by that young man who for many years had been planning just such an attack and who was, and is, a committed, fanatical, radicalised Islamist terrorist.”

Mr Little said this was "no spur-of-the-moment decision, it was not the first time that he had planned an attack or a similar attack."

He added: “Indeed, he bought the knife five years before for just such an attack.

“He had for a number of years been determined to carry out an act of domestic terrorism.

“To that end, from at least May 2019 he researched and planned potential attacks on Members of Parliament and the Houses of Parliament.

“This included specific reconnaissance trips to a constituency surgery of Mike Freer MP and to the home address of Michael Gove MP.

“That researching and planning is the other offence he faces, namely preparing for acts of terrorism.

“To that offence he also has, we say, no defence.”

The court also heard that the accused apologised to Sir David shortly before stabbing him.

Mr Little, said Mr Ali appeared “relaxed and chatty” after arriving at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on October 15 2021.

He launched his attack after his phone, placed on the table between him and Sir David, made a notification sound, jurors heard.

Mr Little said: “The defendant said, ‘Sorry’, and then pulled out a knife and stabbed Sir David Amess.

“Sir David screamed. The defendant stabbed him again.

“Indeed, he stabbed him multiple times in a vicious and frenzied attack.”

Two members of Sir David’s staff – Rebecca Hayton and Julie Cushion – called for help.

Yvonne Eaves and Darren King, at the church for their own meeting with Sir David, saw Mr Ali waving a bloodied knife and saying: “I killed him,” the court was told.

Mr Little said: “When Yvonne Eaves and Darren King offered to go and see Sir David, the defendant said this: ‘No, don’t come nearer. I’ll go and finish him off if he’s not dead.’”

Mr Ali then allegedly said: “I want him dead. I want every Parliament minister who signed up for the bombing of Syria, who agreed to the Iraqi war, to die.”

Mr Ali stared ahead in court as a section of Ms Eaves’ 999 call was played.

Mr Little said Mr Ali allegedly had a speakerphone conversation with a woman, who was “screaming” at him: “Why have you done it?”

Mr Ali is alleged to have mentioned Syria in his reply, before saying he wanted to be shot and die “a hero”.

Mr Little said Mr Ali sent a message about Syria with a video attachment to “a large number of people” around the time of the attack, which he said is evidence of his preparation.

Mr Little said: “This was the use of serious violence designed to intimidate the public and to influence the Government for the purposes of advancing both a religious and ideological cause – a murder, we say, therefore done for terrorist purposes.”

The court heard Mr Ali assumed that firearms officers would arrive on the scene, but was instead confronted only by two plain clothes officers from Essex Police.

Mr Little said: “The defendant hoped that he would be shot, killed, a martyr for the terrorist cause. However, this was not outside the Houses of Parliament, Central London, but Leigh-on-Sea and the first police attenders were not firearms officers but PC Scott James and PC Ryan Curtis.

“They were on duty in plain clothes when they heard on their radio that a man had been stabbed numerous times.”

Mr Little said the pair, armed only with a baton and incapacitant spray, “bravely decided” to enter the building after hearing of Sir David’s injuries.

The trial continues.