Metropolitan Police Declare Golders Green Stabbings a Terrorist Incident; Iran-Linked Group Claims Responsibility

London — The Metropolitan Police have officially declared a stabbing spree in North London a terrorist incident after two men were injured in what appeared to be a targeted attack on the Jewish community in Golders Green on Wednesday.

The attacks began at approximately 11:15 AM on April 29th, 2026. Witnesses reported seeing a man running along Golders Green Road armed with a knife, seeking out Jewish passers-by. According to police reports, the assailant first initiated an attack on a man on Highfield Avenue before chasing him through the street.

Five minutes later, at 11:20 AM, the suspect targeted a second victim—a man waiting at a nearby bus stop—attacking him repeatedly. The victims, aged 34 and 76, were treated at the scene by paramedics from Hatzola, a Jewish emergency medical service, before being transported to a local hospital.

The suspect, identified as a 45-year-old male, was initially intercepted and detained by volunteers from Shomrim, a community safety patrol group. Metropolitan Police officers arrived shortly thereafter. During the confrontation, the suspect got into conflict with the responding officers before he was subdued with a taser and placed under arrest.

At 3:18 PM, following an initial assessment by the Counter Terrorism Command, the Metropolitan Police formally designated the stabbing spree as a terrorist incident.

After the announcement, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a group with known links to Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack. Authorities are currently investigating the validity of this claim and the extent of any coordination between the suspect and the group.


Suspect’s Background Under Scrutiny

Details regarding the suspect’s history have begun to emerge. Police confirmed that the 45-year-old is a British national who was born in Somalia and immigrated to the United Kingdom as a child in the early 1990s.

Of significant concern to investigators is the revelation that the suspect had previously been referred to the government’s counter-terrorism programme in 2020. However, the Metropolitan Police stated that the referral was closed later that same year, and he may not have been believed to be an active threat at that time.

Following his arrest, the suspect received brief medical treatment at a hospital and is now being held in police custody under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Increased police patrols are expected to have been deployed across Golders Green and other areas with significant Jewish populations to provide reassurance to the public. Community leaders have called for calm while praising the swift actions of Shomrim and the emergency services.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to give evidence via 'Action Counters Terrorism'.