In what should be called a terrorism trial, but is not, a muslim “asylum seeker” from Afghanistan asked shoppers if they were English, before attacking them with 10-inch knife. The migrant at a south London Tesco Extra supermarket was motivated by a desire to “kill members of the public if they were English”, a court at the Old Bailey has heard.
Samiulahaq Akbari, 32, stalked potential victims at a Tesco Extra in Thornton Heath on January 8 while holding a 10-inch blade.
Footage shows the Afghan asylum seeker tapping shopper Nicholas Speight on the shoulder before asking his nationality. When Speight revealed that he was from the UK, Akbari lunged at the victim with a large knife, the court was told.
Prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe told the court on Tuesday that it was only “by luck” that the unsuspecting victim had escaped the ordeal without a mark.