A former Uber driver who slashed the throat of an innocent commuter at Leytonstone tube station in revenge for the UK’s bombing raids in Syria has been found guilty of attempted murder.
Muhaydin Mire, 30, shouted “this is for my Syrian brothers” as he took a knife to the neck of musician Lyle Zimmermann in the middle of the ticket hall, just three weeks after the ISIS inspired terror attacks in Paris. The former taxi driver had pictures of Islamic State executions, bombings in Syria, and an image of murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby on his mobile phone when he carried out the attack on December 5 last year.
He told bystanders: “I’m going to attack your civilians” as he mimicked ISIS executions by sawing at Mr Zimmerman’s neck for around 15 seconds. The court heard Somali-born Mire came to the UK as a young boy, and was first detained in hospital after a psychotic episode in 2006. He moved to Leytonstone in 2011, taking jobs as an Uber taxi driver and a council estate caretaker but he was forced to give up work because of anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
Mire was referred to hospital a month before the attacks because he was suffering from paranoid delusions that he was being followed by MI5 and MI6 agents. Mire, of Sansom Road, Leytonstone, admitted wounding with intent and four counts of attempted wounding. He denied but was found guilty of attempted murder. Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, the Recorder of London, remanded Mire in custody to Broadmoor Hospital until his sentencing hearing on July 27
Sentencing him at the Old Bailey, Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, Recorder of London, said that while he accepted Mire was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the offence, he was also of the opinion he had been motivated by events in Syria.
He continued: “In other words, because Muslims were being bombed in Syria, he was going to attack civilians here. “That was designed to intimidate a section of the public, and it was to advance an extreme cause.
“This was an attempt to to kill an innocent member of the public for ideological reasons by cutting his throat in plain sight for maximum impact.” Did you know Muhiddin Mire while he was at school? Contact our news team by calling 020 74330132 or email dave.burke@archant.co.uk