‘He brought this on himself’: Aunt of David Amess’ killer says he should be given death penalty

Ali Harbi Ali’s relative apologises for the death of ‘a father, husband and MP’

Sir David Amess’ terrorist killer should receive the death penalty, the murderer’s aunt has said.

Isis-supporter Ali Harbi Ali was given a rare whole life sentence for stabbing the 69-year-old Conservative MP to death on 15 October 2021.

The father-of-five was stabbed more than 20 times by Ali at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

Days after his sentencing, the 26-year-old’s aunt Anab Abdulle apologised for the harm he had caused.

“I am sorry for the late MP’s family, for the painful death of a father, husband and MP,” she said.

“But for Ali Harbi Ali he should be given a death sentence since he is a confirmed terrorist.”

Sir David Amess ‘devoted 38 years of his life to public service’ a judge said (PA)

Ms Abdulle, Ali’s mother’s sister who lives in Nairobi, told the Daily Mail: “He brought this upon himself and should face the consequences.”

Ali’s aunt said that Ali’s radicalisation may have stemmed from his parent’s separation, and that his parents have “long been upset by the changes in him”.

She added Ali’s mother suspected her son had joined Isis through one of his friends but was “scared” to report it to the police.

Ali, after he was arrested for the MP’s murder (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Media)

The mother instead informed Ali’s father, a former communications minister to the prime minister of Somalia, the Mail reports.

In 2014, Ali was referred to the UK’s de-radicalisation scheme Prevent due to his extremist views, but was assessed as posing no risk of terrorism and was discharged in 2015.

Sentencing Ali earlier this week, Judge Sweeney called Sir David’s death a “loss of national significance”.

“Sir David had done nothing whatsoever to justify the attack on him,” he said. “On the contrary, he had devoted 38 years of his life to the service of the public.”

“This was a murder that struck at the heart of our democracy,” the judge said, adding that he had “no doubt” that Ali should be sentenced to a “whole-life order”.

Julia Amess (centre), the widow of Sir David, is comforted by her family following the requiem mass for Sir David at Westminster Cathedral (PA)

The family of Sir David described his murder as “beyond evil”. In a statement read outside court, they said: “We will wake each day and immediately feel our loss.

“Our last thought before sleep with be of David. We shall never get over this tragedy.”

Ali said that he had targeted Sir David because of his votes in favour of airstrikes on Syria.