The 25-year-old man accused of murdering Tory MP Sir David Amess in a terror attack could be put on trial as soon as March next year, a court has heard.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, appeared at the Old Bailey for the first time on Friday via video-link from high-security Belmarsh prison.
He allegedly travelled by train from his home in north London to Leigh-on-Sea, where the MP was hosting a constituency surgery, and stabbed him to death.
In connection with the alleged murder, Ali is also charged with preparing acts of terrorism between May 2019 and September this year.
Prosecutors say the murder has a terrorist connection because of its ‘religious and ideological motives’.
They told Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday that he described himself as an affiliate of Islamic State and had plotted for two years to kill a member of parliament.
Ali is said to have targeted Sir David over the Southend West MP’s voting record in support of air strikes on IS targets in Syria.
The 25-year-old was not asked to enter pleas to either charge, and he was remanded in custody after his barrister made no application for bail.
A provisional trial date has been identified for March 7 next year.
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