Hartlepool, England – A Moroccan asylum seeker was found guilty of murder on Thursday for fatally stabbing a random pensioner in Hartlepool, a town in northeast England. Ahmed Alid, 45, claimed he committed the violent act in retaliation for the conflict in Gaza, stating that Israel had “killed children.” The victim, 70-year-old Terence Carney, was stabbed six times on October 15, 2023, shortly after an attack by Hamas militants in Israel.
During the trial at Teesside Crown Court, it was revealed that Alid not only killed Carney but also attacked his housemate Javed Nouri, a Christian convert, and assaulted two police officers. Alid shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he repeatedly stabbed Nouri while he was sleeping, causing severe injuries but ultimately surviving the brutal attack. Carney, on the other hand, succumbed to his wounds after being stabbed multiple times in the chest, abdomen, and back.
The jury unanimously convicted Alid of murder, attempted murder, and assaulting the police officers. Alid was apprehended near the murder scene with a bloody knife in his possession. He confessed to police that he targeted his victims because of his grievances related to the conflict in Gaza, expressing his desire for Palestine to be free from what he referred to as “Zionists,” specifically Israel.
During questioning, Alid referred to Carney as an “innocent victim” but justified his actions by blaming Britain for creating Israel and its ongoing conflict with Palestine. He likened his act of violence against the elderly man to the deaths of children in Gaza. Cleveland Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described the incident as deeply disturbing, causing fear and distress among the local community in Hartlepool and beyond.
Alid’s sentencing is scheduled for May 17, leaving the community awaiting justice for the tragic death of Terence Carney and the trauma inflicted by the senseless act of violence.