[ 2015-12-08 ]

‘Tube attacker had mental health issues’
The family of a Somali-born British man accused of
a knife rampage at a London Underground station
had approached police with concerns about his
mental health three weeks ago, it emerged last
night.

Muhaydin Mire’s brother told The Times that the
Metropolitan police said there was nothing they
could do despite worries about his behaviour.

Mohammed Mire, 32, revealed his brother had a
history of mental health problems and had been
hospitalised in 2007. He said that his brother had
worked as a taxi driver until July, before his
behaviour changed and he began to behave oddly. Mr
Mire said that his brother’s mental health
issues started after he began smoking cannabis.

The family approached the police but were referred
to health authorities, he said.

The Met said in a statement that it was contacted
by a family member about three weeks ago.

“There was no mention of radicalisation; the
conversation related entirely to health related
issues and the family were therefore correctly
referred to health services for help.”

The suspect’s brother told how he was obsessed
with Manchester United at a young age and attended
college but did not go to university.

Mohammed Mire said: “He was very nice, he was
growing up happily. He loved to play football, was
a Man United fan. He wanted to become a computer
engineer, he was very intelligent.”

Mr Mire, 29, is accused of shouting “This is for
Syria” and “This is for my brothers in
Syria” after the attack on Saturday night at
Leytonstone station in east London.

Westminster magistrates’ court heard yesterday
that he allegedly brandished a knife in front of
passengers and caused a 12cm wound to the neck of
one of his alleged victims.

Prosecutors said it fell “under the definition
of terrorism” and Mr Mire has been charged with
attempted murder.

David Cawthorne, for the Crown, told magistrates
that Mr Mire had allegedly attacked a 56-year-old
man, referred to only as as “Mr A”. He is
accused of inflicting a wound that required five
hours of surgery.

The 6ft 3in suspect, who lives half a mile from
the station, appeared in court wearing a grey
tracksuit and spoke only to give his name, date of
birth and address.

Mr Mire was remanded in custody and will appear at
the Old Bailey on Friday. There was no application
for bail.

The court appearance came as a junior doctor who
gave first aid to the stabbing victim told how he
ignored pleas to flee the scene.

Matt Smith, 28, said: “There was a guy lying in
a pool of blood. I tried to stem the flow of
blood.”

Mr Smith described how he was applying pressure to
the wound when the suspect came back.

Source - The Times(UK)

... go Back