Ali Harbi Ali has been found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering MP Sir David Amess and preparing acts of terrorism.
Islamic State fanatic Ali Harbi Ali, 26, carried out the “cold and calculating” murder at the veteran MP’s constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on October 15 last year.
He told the Old Bailey trial he had no regrets about the murder, defending his actions by saying Sir David deserved to die as a result of voting in Parliament for air strikes on Syria in 2014 and 2015.
A jury deliberated for just 18 minutes to find Ali guilty of murder and preparing for terrorist acts.
Justice Sweeney said Ali, who refused to stand up in the dock on “religious grounds” as he was convicted, would be sentenced on Wednesday.
Sir David’s family sat in the well of the courtroom as the verdicts were delivered, just metres from Ali in the dock.
Ali sent a manifesto on WhatsApp to family and friends seeking to justify his actions around the time of the attack, telling Sir David he was “sorry” before plunging the knife into him, causing the politician to scream.
He died at the scene.
Knife-wielding Ali was later apprehended by two police officers armed only with batons and spray.
Essex Police Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow praised his officers’ “astounding bravery” in tackling Ali.
He said: “They’ve basically gone in armed with a stick – something that appears smaller than a deodorant can – to deal with a man that has just committed an absolutely heinous act, still armed with that knife.
“I think it’s an astounding act of bravery.”
Director of Public Prosecutions Max Hill QC said the murder was “the most appalling tragedy”, particularly for the Amess family, and an “attack on democracy”.
He said: “I’m obviously pleased that at the end of what must have been a very difficult trial for Sir David Amess’s family, justice has been served and this individual will now pay the price for his crimes.”
The court heard how London-born Ali had become self-radicalised in 2014, going on to drop out of university, abandoning ambitions for a career in medicine.
The defendant, who came from an influential Somali family and said he had a childhood “full of love and care”, considered travelling to Syria to fight but by 2019 opted for an attack in Britain.
Ali bought a £20 knife from Argos six years ago which he carried in his bag throughout the summer of 2021 as he “scoped out” possible targets, jurors heard.
He carried out reconnaissance on the Houses of Parliament but found police there “armed to the teeth”.
Ali carried out online research on MPs including Labour leader Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
He staked out the west London home of Levelling Up Secretary Mr Gove six times and wrote detailed notes on how he might get to him.