Man accused of murder ‘would have killed thousands over Gaza if he had Kalashnikov’, court hears

A Moroccan asylum seeker accused of murdering a pensioner “for the sake of Palestine” told police he would have killed “thousands” if he had a gun, a court has heard.

‌Ahmed Alid, 45, is on trial for knifing Terence Carney to death in Hartlepool town centre in October, eight days after the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Mr Alid also allegedly attempted to murder Javed Nouri, a 31-year-old housemate who is a Christian convert.

While being questioned by police over the attack on Mr Nouri, he allegedly told officers he had wanted to kill more people.

In a recording of the interview, played in court, he told officers through an Arabic translator: “I swear to almighty Allah, if I had a heavy weapon this would be thousands because they had killed innocent children.

“I swear to almighty Allah, if I had a Kalashnikov I will use it to kill them to the last bullet, today before tomorrow.”

‘A big explosion in the UK’

Speaking through the translator, he also confirmed that he had been responsible for stabbing Mr Carney and Mr Nouri and went on to say that “there will be a flood of innocent victims here in Britain” if there was no ceasefire in Gaza.

Mr Alid, who spoke with a stammer during the police interview, also said: “There will be a big explosion in the UK because they killed innocent children.”

During the interview, Mr Alid could be seen becoming angry towards the interpreter, allegedly insulting him shortly before detectives called the proceedings to a halt.

The jury has previously heard that two female detectives questioning him were allegedly assaulted after one tried to get between him and the interpreter when she became concerned about the defendant’s manner.

At 8.30pm on Oct 15, around 15 hours after the alleged murder, Rachel Setchell, a custody nurse, examined Mr Alid and determined by speaking to him that he was calm and orientated, and so was fit to be interviewed and detained.

John Elvidge KC, defending, asked if she was aware that custody officers had observed him pacing around his cell barefooted and mumbling to himself in Arabic. She said she was not aware.

‌Mr Alid denies murder, attempted murder and two counts of assault. The trial at Teesside Crown Court continues.