Man pleads not guilty to attempted murder of two Jewish men in London

FILE PHOTO: Essa Suleiman who is charged with attempted murder over a knife attack during which two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London, appears via video link at the Old Bailey as his trial date has been set for next March, in London, Britain, May 15, 2026, in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Julia Quenzler/File Photo

LONDON, Sept 25 - A 45-year-old man pleaded not guilty on Friday to attempting to murder two Jewish men who were stabbed in a knife attack in north London in April, an offence prosecutors said they were no longer treating as terrorism.

Essa Suleiman, a British national who was born in Somalia, is alleged to have attacked the men in Golders Green on April 29, one of a spate of incidents targeting Jewish premises in the same area of London which is home to a large Jewish population.

The attacks left Britain's 290,000 Jews fearing for their safety, and prompted the government to promise stronger action to protect them.

Suleiman appeared for a brief hearing at London's Old Bailey court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to two counts of attempted murder.

He also denied a third count of attempted murder, relating to an unconnected incident at the home of a former acquaintance earlier the same day, and possession of a bladed article.

Police had initially said the stabbings were being investigated as suspected terrorism.

Prosecutor Deanna Heer said on Friday, however, that the Crown Prosecution Service had concluded that following a review, there was no sufficient evidence to say the stabbings had a terrorist connection.

Suleiman was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on January 15, with his trial due to start in March. REUTERS