The terrorist who killed veteran MP Sir David Ames must die behind bars after being sentenced to life in prison.
Islamic State fanatic Ali Harby Ali appeared in Old Bailey on Wednesday after being convicted of murder and plotting terrorist acts.
Sir David was stabbed more than 20 times during a surgery meeting in the Essex constituency last October in a murder described by his family as “beyond evil”.
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3:09 Ali Harby Ali is in jail for the murder of MP Tori
Delivering Ali’s sentence, Judge Sweeney said the killing of the Southend West MP “hit the heart of our democracy”.
The judge said Sir David was “the man with the most content” who “did nothing” to justify the attack on him.
“His loss is of national importance,” the judge said.
Read more: How the “fanatical” terrorist committed the murder of the MP – and his “distorted” motive for the attack
Judge Sweeney said the killing was “in retaliation for the loss of Islamic State in Syria” and that Sir David had “fought bravely and persistently” against the attack.
“The defendant does not feel remorse or shame for what he did, quite the opposite,” the judge said.
Image: Sir David has been an MP since 1983. Photo: Amer Ghazzal / Shutterstock
In a statement after the verdict, Sir David’s family said they were “not thrilled” by Ali’s arrest and that “tears will be shed forever for the man we lost”.
“Our amazing husband and father were abducted in a horrific and violent way,” they said.
“We will never overcome this tragedy.
“Our hearts are broken to know that our husband and father would greet the killer with a smile of friendship and would like to help.
“How disgusting it is to think about what happened next. It’s beyond evil.”
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2:07 “We will fight every day”
Ali, dressed in a black robe without a collar on the dock, pursed his lips briefly as the judge handed down his sentence.
He told the trial that he did not regret the killing, saying that Sir David deserved to die because he had voted in parliament for air strikes against Syria in 2014 and 2015.
The killer refused to appear in court “on religious grounds” when jurors handed down their sentences Monday after just 18 minutes of deliberation.
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1:59 MP killer interviewed by police
Other high-ranking assassins who have received lifelong orders include far-right extremist Thomas Meyer, who killed Labor MP Joe Cox in 2016, and police officer Wayne Cousins, who raped and killed Sarah Everard in south London last year.
Ali’s trial revealed that Sir David had been killed in a “vicious and violent” attack, which was a “terrorist killing”.
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0:59 “The man is holding a knife” – call 999
Prosecutors described Ali as a “bloodthirsty” Islamic State supporter who spent years plotting to assassinate a lawmaker.
The 26-year-old explored a number of potential high-profile political goals, including Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Sir Keir Starmer, before turning to Sir David.
During the sentencing hearing, statements about the impact on the victim were read by Mr Gove and his fellow MP Mike Freer, who was also Ali’s target.
Mr Freer said he and his staff would now be wearing piercing vests and mobile panic alarms when conducting consulting operations in supermarkets, libraries or on the street.
Mr Gove described his experience as “incomparable” to the loss suffered by the Ames family, saying: “Like everyone I knew at work, I found the impact of Sir David’s loss enormous.”
Image: Michael Gove was aimed at Ali
Ali managed to arrange a meeting with Sir David, misleading the MP’s office that he was a medical worker who had moved to the area to discuss local issues.
The dropout traveled from his home in Kentish Town, north London, to Belfast’s Methodist Church in Lee-on-Sea, where Sir David’s election operation took place, carrying a 12-inch knife.
During a meeting with a politician, Ali said “I’m sorry” and took the knife out of his clothes, repeatedly stabbing Sir David, causing him to scream.
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1:08 “You’re under arrest … for murder”
The terrorist from the so-called “lone wolf” sent a manifesto on WhatsApp to his family and friends, trying to justify his actions during the attack.
After Ali was confronted by an unarmed man who arrived to meet Sir David, the killer said he wanted to be shot by police and become a “martyr”.
Dramatic footage from the camera showed two plainclothes officers, who were the first to respond to the scene, armed only with batons and CS spray, to collide with Ali and arrest him.
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1:46 CPS – Assassination of Ames “attack on our democracy”
Sir David, a 69-year-old father of five, was an MP from 1983 until his death.
Following the convictions in Ali’s trial, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sir David was a “beloved colleague, civil servant and friend” and his thoughts were with MP’s widow Julia and Ames’ family.
Interior Minister Priti Patel welcomed Ali’s sentence, saying: “This attack on our democracy, which took the life of a man so dear, deserves the whole life order.”
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