Man charged after Golders Green stabbing as UK terror threat raised to severe

A man has been charged with attempted murder following a stabbing incident in north London in which two Jewish men were attacked, the Metropolitan Police have said.

Essa Suleiman, 45, is accused of stabbing Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, in the Golders Green area on Wednesday. Both victims were taken to hospital following the incident. Police confirmed that Mr Rand has since been discharged, according to a statement from a local rabbi, while Mr Shine’s condition has not been fully detailed.

The incident has heightened concern within the local community, given Golders Green’s significant Jewish population.

Separately, the UK’s terrorism threat level has been raised to “severe”, meaning an attack is assessed as highly likely within the next six months. Security officials stressed, however, that the change in threat level is not solely linked to the Golders Green stabbing.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis urged the public to remain “alert and vigilant” but not alarmed, adding that the public should continue their daily activities while being aware of their surroundings.

The “severe” classification is the second-highest level in the UK’s five-tier threat system, sitting below “critical”, and indicates that an attack is considered highly likely but not necessarily imminent.

Police investigations into the Golders Green stabbing are ongoing.