David Amess: Counterterror police take over investigation into death of Tory MP

Counterterror police are investigating the death of the Conservative MP Sir David Amess, who was stabbed while meeting constituents at a routine public surgery on Friday.

The 69-year-old suffered multiple injuries in the attack at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea.

Essex Police said a 25-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder, and that counterterror detectives were investigating his motivations.

The Independent understands that the suspect is a British national of Somali origin, and the killing is being treated at this point as a probable Islamist terror attack.

The investigation is also looking at whether there are mental health issues. Detectives are believed to be going through the suspect’s telephone records and internet history, security officials say.

Essex Police chief constable Ben-Julian Harrington said: “The investigation is in the very early stages and is being led by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s specialist Counter Terrorism Command.

“We made it clear at the time of the incident that we did not believe there was any immediate threat to anyone else in the area.

“It will be for investigators to determine whether or not this may have been a terrorist incident. As always they will keep an open mind.”

Sir David, a father-of-five, was the second sitting MP to be killed in five years, following the attack on Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016.

She was murdered by a neo-Nazi outside a constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire.

Her widower, Brendan Cox, wrote on Twitter: “My thoughts and love are with David’s family. They are all that matter now. This brings everything back.