Leytonstone Tube attacker sentenced to life

It was coming up to Christmas last year when reports came in of an attack at Leytonstone Tube station. A lone attacker, later identified as Muhiddin Mire, was apparently running round the station, armed with a knife, and was randomly slashing at and attacking passengers. He was shouting that he was aiming to “spill blood” for his “Syrian brothers”. Travellers filmed what was going on – these films and CCTV recorded one passer by shouting back “You ain’t no Muslim, bruv.”

The most seriously injured victim was 56 year old musician Lyle Zimmerman. Mire punched him from behind, kicked his head until he lost consciousness and then slit his throat with the knife he was carrying. Mr Zimmerman has publicly thanked an off duty GP who was at the station and who gave him immediate medical assistance – even before Mire had been subdued. The GP risked his own life while he was saving Mr Zimmerman’s life.

Mire – who lived in Sansom Road, Stratford – was eventually overcome and arrested. He was later charged with attempted murder, four counts of attempted wounding and one alternative count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The admitted the lesser charges and was found guilty of the attempted murder charge at an Old Bailey trial.

At the sentencing hearing on 1st August, Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC told the Court Mire was influenced by two factors during the attack: the paranoid schizophrenia from which he was suffering, but also events in Syria. Only days before the attack, the UK Parliament had voted to bomb targets in Syria as part of its military attack on ISIS/Daesh. The Judge concluded that although Mire was ill, he was nonetheless trying to seek revenge for attacks on Syrian civilians by attacking innocent travellers in Leytonstone.

Mire was sentenced to life imprisonment. He will serve eight and a half years in Broadmoor secure hospital before he can be considered for parole.

The ELN report of the incident: https://eastlondonnews.co.uk/leytonstone-tube-suspect-shouted-this-is-for-syria/

The ELN report of the trial verdict: https://eastlondonnews.co.uk/leytonstone-tube-attacker-guilty-attempted-murder/

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