'Questionable decision-making' in Prevent case involving ISIS-supporting killer of MP Sir David Amess

A "problematic" assessment of MP Sir David Amess's killer led to "questionable decision-making" and the "suboptimal" handling of his Prevent case, a review has found.

Sir David was stabbed to death by Islamic State (ISIS) supporter Ali Harbi Ali during a constituency surgery at a church hall in Leigh-on-Sea in October 2021.

The killer, who was given a whole-life sentence in 2022, had become radicalised by ISIS propaganda and had been referred to the anti-terror programme Prevent before the attack, but his case had been closed.

Failures in dealing with his case led to it being "exited" too soon, security minister Dan Jarvis told the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Following the publication of a review into Prevent's handling of Southport child killer Axel Rudakubana earlier this month, Mr Jarvis said a Prevent learning review into Sir David's killing would be released this week in a commitment to transparency over the anti-terror programme.

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Sir David's daughter, Katie Amess, 39, welcomed the announcement but said every victim failed by Prevent deserves an inquiry, not just the Southport victims.

"We potentially wouldn't be in the same situation today with repeat failings of Prevent had somebody had just listened to me back when it [her father's killing] happened and launched a full public inquiry," she told LBC.

Ms Amess said she believes if the Southport attack had not happened, the review into Prevent's handling of her father's killer would never have been released into the public domain.

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(c) Sky News 2025: 'Questionable decision-making' in Prevent case involving ISIS-supporting killer of MP Sir