UK: Golders Green suspect charged in stabbings of Jewish men

Authorities in the UK have charged a 45-year-old man on Friday over the stabbings of two Jewish men in the community of Golders Green in London.

The attack, which took place on Wednesday, left a 34-year-old man and a 76-year-old man injured. One of the victims has since been discharged from a hospital and the other is in stable condition.

In the aftermath, the British government raised the national terrorism threat to its second-highest level, which indicates officials believe a terrorist attack is highly likely within the next six months.

Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley said that it was "another horrendous act of violence directed against our Jewish communities."

The Golders Green attack has been labeled an act of terrorism.

What do we know about the attacker?

Essa S., a Somalia-born British citizen who resides in London, is expected to make his first court appearance later Friday.

He faces two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place, in relation to the attack in Golders Green.

But he also faces a third count of attempted murder over an incident elsewhere in the city earlier the same day that left a man with minor injuries.

Police said the suspect had been referred to the government's Prevent program that aims to stop the radicalization of individuals. However, they said his file had later been closed without saying why.

The Golders Green stabbings are the latest in a string of attacks on London's Jewish community. Several arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish siteshave taken place in London in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged that authorities will increase security for the Jewish community and "do everything in our power to stamp this hatred out."

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that "London's Jewish community have been the target of a series of shocking antisemitic attacks" and that "there must be absolutely no place for antisemitism in society."

Edited by: Alex Berry