Belfast stabbing suspect went from ‘Paris to Dublin’ earlier than ‘bus to Northern Ireland’
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has revealed further details regarding the Sudanese man who has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following an alleged attack with a knife in Belfast
Police on the scene in Kinnaird Avenue, Belfast, following the horror attack(Image: Justin Kernoghan)
The suspect arrested in connection with a shocking attack on a street in North Belfast reportedly arrived in the UK by taking the bus across from Ireland, according to the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The suspect, a Sudanese man in his 30s, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the assault on Monday night (June 8). The victim, aged in his 40s, was left with serious injuries to his eyes, back and face after he was slashed with a kitchen knife in a residential area close to Antrim Road.
Videos of the horror attack have been posted online and shows people, including one with a hurling stick, intervening to stop the man attacking the victim in the Kinnaird Avenue residential area.
The PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has said there is “nothing to suggest” the knife attack was terrorist related and gave further detail on the Sudanese suspect’s movements to Northern Ireland.
The suspect reportedly came from to Northern Ireland by bus from Dublin, Ireland, in 2023. However, he first arrived in Europe from Sudan by travelling to Paris before heading to Ireland on dates currently unknown.
Chief Constable Boutcher told reporters at Stormont: “It’s my understanding that the suspect was granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom on the 28 of September of 2023.
“Again, this is to be confirmed, but I’m informed that he made his way from Sudan to Paris at dates unknown, and from Paris he flew to Dublin at a date yet to be determined.
“From my current understanding, he then travelled from Dublin to Belfast by bus on the 10 of February of 2023 and claimed asylum on that date.
“There is no trace of this suspect on any of our national security databases, and he was not known to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
“I’ve been in direct contact with the head of terrorism policing in the UK. At this stage we have no information to suggest that this was terrorist related.
“I do appreciate the nature of the attack has led to speculation it is terrorist related, however there is nothing to suggest that that is the case.”
The details come as PSNI Chief Constable Boutcher urged people to let “the police do their job unfettered and undistracted” after rumours of Northern Ireland tonight (June 9).
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson and tech billionaire Elon Musk amplified calls for people to take to the streets in response to the incident.
Chief Constable Boutcher said: “Where there are any concerns about immigration, let’s have those through a political debate.
“Let the criminal justice process take its course and let’s just remember that all of our communities in Northern Ireland almost entirely contribute positively to this place and don’t be fooled or duped into a trap by people online inciting awful behaviour.”
He said the “toxic” nature online risked “people doing things that they would not ordinarily do”.
He added: “Do not let people who know nothing about Northern Ireland impact on the behaviours of our people in Northern Ireland from afar through social media.
“Remember the actions of those members of the public, they truly define our society in Northern Ireland, they saved a man’s life last night.
“Do not let the actions of that man impact on any further harm to anybody else in Northern Ireland.”
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