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Man appears in court charged with attempted murder of two Jewish men
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A man has appeared in court charged with attempted murder after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London on Wednesday. Essa Suleiman, 45, is accused of attacking Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76. Both men suffered serious injuries and were treated in hospital, with the Metropolitan Police declaring it a terrorist incident. Suleiman is also accused of attempting to murder Ishmail Hussein in a knife attack at Hussein's flat in Southwark, south London, earlier the same day. Hussein was somebody that Suleiman had known for approximately 20 years. He also faces a charge of possessing a knife in a public place in Golders Green. Suleiman appeared in the dock on Friday wearing a police-issued grey sweatshirt and trousers. He appeared to have a bruising around his eyes. He stood to confirm his name and date of birth, but did not enter any pleas. There are legal restrictions on reporting the exact address, as it is supported housing for mental health patients in south London. Prosecutor Emma Harraway told the court that Suleiman had a medical episode while he was arrested and was subsequently taken to hospital. He was treated and discharged some hours later and then transported to Hammersmith custody suite. The court also heard that one of the victims of Wednesday's attack, Shloime Rand, has now been discharged from hospital. Suleiman had been a patient at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. He was born in Somalia but came to the UK lawfully as a child in the early 1990s and is now a British citizen, officials have said. His case has been sent to the Old Bailey where he will next appear on 15 May for a preliminary hearing. He remains in custody. On Thursday, the UK's terror threat level was raised to severe following the stabbing. The government said the threat level had been rising "for some time", adding that the increased level was "not solely" as a result of the incident earlier this week. Nancy Pexton stabbed her sister Jennifer Abbott Dauward and took her diamond-encrusted Rolex watch. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died after a car crashed into the Study Preparatory School in July 2023. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis says there is deep concern and anguish in the Jewish community following the Golders Green attack. Abdullah Albadri was arrested in April last year as he tried to climb over the railings of the embassy in London. The sculpture depicts a suited man walking forward off a plinth while carrying a flag that covers his face.