Leytonstone Tube attacker: guilty of attempted murder

Muiddin Mire has been found guilty of attempted murder following an incident which took place at the end of last year. Mire staged a frenzied attack in the Tube station’s ticket hall, during which two passengers were injured and a third, 56 year old musician Mr Lyle Zimmerman, was seriously injured. Mire used a machete to slit Mr Zimmerman’s throat, leaving a very serious wound. Other passengers were threatened as Mire ran around the ticket hall.

Mire, a 30 year old minicab driver who lived locally, is originally from Somalia. He pleaded guilty to four counts of attempted wounding. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of the attempted murder of Mr Zimmerman, but offered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of wounding with intent to cause the victim grievous bodily harm.

The police initially suspected that the attack might be a terrorist incident, as witnesses reported that Mire had shouted “this is for Syria” as he began his onslaught. One of them shouted back, “you ain’t no Muslim, bruv.” The police theory was strengthened when images of terrorist attacks were found on Mire’s mobile phone. However, it now appears that Mire was acting alone and was inspired to mount the attack more as a result of mental illness rather than any rational ideological beliefs.

Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC accepted the jury’s verdict that Mire was guilt of attempted murder and remanded the guilty man in Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital until a sentencing hearing, due to be held in July. The Judge also praised Tube travellers who witnessed the attack and who helped the injured, despite the risk to themselves.

•Read our report of the attack:
https://eastlondonnews.co.uk/leytonstone-tube-suspect-shouted-this-is-for-syria/

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