Self-radicalised terrorist Ali Harbi Ali, who murdered British MP Sir David Amess is jailed for life

The self-radicalized terrorist who murdered veteran MP Sir David Amess is to die behind bars after he was sentenced to a whole-life prison term.

Islamic State fanatic, Ali Harbi Ali appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday after he was convicted of murder and preparing terrorist acts by jurors who spent just 18 minutes deliberating.

Sir David was stabbed more than 20 times during a constituency surgery meeting in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in October last year.

Delivering Ali’s sentence, Mr. Justice Sweeney said the murder of the MP for Southend West “struck at the heart of our democracy”.

The judge said Sir David was “a man of the greatest substance” who had “done nothing whatsoever” to justify the attack on him.

“His loss is one of national significance,” the judge said

Mr Justice Sweeney said the murder was carried out “in revenge for Islamic State’s losses in Syria” and that Sir David had “fought bravely and hard” against the attack.

“The defendant has no remorse or shame for what he has done, quite the reverse,” the judge said.

Ali, wearing a black collarless robe in the dock, pursed his lips briefly as the judge handed down his sentence.

He told the trial he had no regrets about the killing, saying Sir David deserved to die because he had voted in parliament for airstrikes on Syria in 2014 and 2015.

Sir David’s family said it ‘broke their heart’ to think he would have welcomed Ali to the constituency surgery shortly before he killed him.

Prosecutors described the case as ‘overwhelming’, and Ali himself did not dispute much of the evidence, cockily gazing around from the dock when it was heard.

Mr. Justice Sweeney said: ‘This is a murder that struck at the heart of democracy.

‘This was a murder carried out in revenge for Islamic State’s losses in Syria. The defendant has no remorse or shame, quite the reverse.’ 

He added of Sir David’s family: ‘This trial was forced on them by the defendant’s cowardly refusal to admit his guilt.’

Earlier a harrowing victim impact statement from Julie Cushion, one of Sir David’s staff members who witnessed his murder, said: ‘I can’t get the perpetrator’s face, as he was led away, out of my mind.

‘He looked so smug, and so self satisfied.’

A statement from Sir David’s widow Lady Amess said there was no elation in the family today following the sentencing.

She added: ‘Our amazing husband and father has been taken from us in an appalling and violent manner. Nothing will ever compensate for that.

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