Parliamentary reporter @TrinderMatt

THE fatal stabbing of MP Sir David Amess was condemned as an “indefensible atrocity” in a joint statement from all of Southend’s mosques today.

Local faith leaders stressed that the father-of-five was an “upstanding friend to our Muslim community” and attended key events, including weddings, mosque openings and the launch of the town’s first Muslim Scout group.

The move came as the country’s most senior counter-terror officer, deputy assistant commissioner Dean Haydon, formally declared the incident as terrorism with “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism.”

Sir David, 69, was attacked while meeting constituents at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday.

A 25-year-old man, understood to be Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.

He has been detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and is in custody at a London police station.

The Home Office would not comment on reports that the suspect has the same details as a man previously referred to Prevent, the Tory government’s anti-terror scheme.

In a statement published on the Essex Jamme Masjid website on behalf of “all Southend mosques,” faith leaders said that their thoughts and prayers are with Sir David’s family, friends and colleagues.

“Sir David’s murder was an indefensible atrocity, committed on the grounds of a place of worship and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. 

“This act was committed in the name of blind hatred, and we look forward to the perpetrator being brought to justice.”

Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that a “whole spectrum” of measures to keep MPs safe is now being considered, after Sir David became the second MP to be murdered in office in recent years.

Labour MP for Batley and Spen Jo Cox was shot and stabbed multiple times as she was on her way to a constituency surgery in 2016.

Ms Patel suggested today that police could now be called in to guard MPs’ surgeries, with each representative being contacted by their local police force since Sir David’s killing. 

In addition to security, other options under consideration include asking MPs to share their whereabouts with police at all times as well as the use of airport-style security at public meetings, the Witham MP claimed.  

But threats “should never, ever break that link between an elected representative and the people who elected them,” Ms Patel said.