A Moroccan man, Ahmed Alid, was found guilty of murder after stabbing a passer-by to death in northeast England as an act of revenge for Israeli actions in Gaza. The 45-year-old asylum seeker approached his 70-year-old victim from behind on a road in Hartlepool in the early hours of October 15 last year, following a previous attack on his housemate with two knives.
Alid told police that his actions were in response to the conflict in Gaza and in revenge for Israel killing innocent children, blaming Britain for creating Israel. He expressed a desire to kill more people if he had access to additional weapons, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Nick Price, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, condemned Alid’s actions, stating that he chose to attack two innocent people with a knife, resulting in devastating consequences. Alid initially attacked his housemate, who had converted to Christianity, before fatally stabbing Terence Carney on the street.
Carney, who was stabbed six times in the chest, abdomen, and back, died shortly after police arrived at the scene. Alid also assaulted two female detectives during his interview with police, causing injuries to one of them.
Alid was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and assaulting emergency workers. He is set to be sentenced on May 17, with the judge considering whether his actions were related to terrorism. The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the consequences of violence fueled by political conflicts.