The Golders Green knifeman accused of stabbing two Jewish men in the street has denied attempted murder.

Essa Suleiman, 45, is accused of trying to murder his friend Ishmael Hussein at his home in Southwark before going to north London to attack Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, on April 29 this year.

The Somalia-born defendant has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and possessing a black-handled knife in a public place.

Suleiman, who is currently in Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital, appeared at the Old Bailey via CVP link on Friday, and pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

Despite it formally being declared a terrorist incident at the time, the prosecution told the court that they no longer considered that Suleiman had launched a terrorist attack. 

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told Friday's hearing at the Old Bailey: 'We have reviewed the evidence to decide whether it reveals that the conduct of the offence had a terrorist link.

'We have concluded there is not sufficient evidence to make that submission. That is not to say the court would not have to consider, were there to be a conviction, whether there was a racial or religious aggravation.'

Ms Heer had told an earlier hearing that the victims in Golders Green were 'obviously members of the orthodox Jewish community which was apparent from the way they were dressed'.

The case was adjourned for psychiatric reports and a three-week trial is due to go ahead on March 1, 2027.      

The court previously heard that the defendant attended the home address of his friend of 20 years, Mr Hussein, and attacked him with a knife.

Suleiman is then accused of travelling to Brent Cross underground station before going on to Golders Green, where police were called at 11.16am following reports of people stabbed.

The second victim, Shloime Rand, 34, was leaving a study session at a synagogue in Golders Green dressed in traditional Jewish Orthodox attire when he crossed the road and was allegedly ‘punched in the chest’.

‘Mr Rand realised his chest was bleeding,’ said Ms Harraway, adding: ‘He sustained a punctured lung’.

The third victim, Moshe Shine, 76, was also wearing traditional Jewish clothing and adjusting his Kippah at a bus stop when he was stabbed in the neck, the court heard.

‘Although the injuries are not life-threatening, the injuries were serious,’ added Ms Harraway.

The incident only came to an end when a member of the public tried to intervene and take the knife from him before police then arrived and Tasered him, the court has heard. 

Suleiman, who became a British citizen in 1995, came to the UK from Somalia legally as a child. 

He was living in supported accommodation for individuals released from a secure psychiatric hospital, served by the South London and Maudsley NHS trust, it was heard.

Suleiman previously worked as a Somali translator, a security guard, and sometimes at sports pitches at a school in Wiltshire.