A 19-YEAR-OLD Somali-Norwegian man accused of carrying out a stabbing rampage in London’s Russell Square was remanded into custody after a court appearance in the British capital today.
Zakaria Bulhan of London is accused of slaying a retired American teacher, 64-year-old Darlene Horton, on Wednesday. Bulhan also faces five counts of attempted murder in the same attack that wounded two Australians, an Israeli, another American and a British citizen. The victims were named in court Saturday for the first time.
Bulhan, who moved from Norway to Britain as a child, mumbled his name, address and date of birth during the hearing Saturday at Westminster Magistrates Court. When asked if he understood the charges, he gave a thumb’s up gesture.
He will appear at the Central London Criminal Court on 9 August.
One of those who survived the attack was Martin Hoenisch, a 59-year-old retired firefighter from San Jose. Hoenisch told The Associated Press that he and his wife had just arrived in London and were walking back from a pub when he saw a woman in distress. His first reaction was to step in front of his wife, and he then tried to stop the attacker.
“I’m a firefighter. I’m a good guy,” he said Saturday. “Any guy would try to stop this.”
Hoenisch said he tried to “get the guy” so that “when the police get here, we got him.”
The attacker stabbed him in the right arm and just kept on running.
“He never broke his stride,” Hoenisch said, adding that he looked down and “my hand was all red.”
Tourists
Horton had been visiting London with her husband, Florida State University psychology professor Richard Wagner, who had been teaching summer classes in London. The couple had been due to fly home the next day.
Although London has been on edge because of deadly attacks on the European mainland claimed by Islamic State extremists, London police say they’ve found no evidence of radicalisation or links to terrorism in this case.
“He never said a word,” Hoenisch said.
Hoenisch told family and friends on Facebook that he was saddened by what happened, calling it a “very unreal experience.” But it won’t change his opinion of the city on what was his first trip abroad.
“I freaking love London,” he told the AP.
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