Burnley M&S knifeman had terrorist motives, court hears

A manager and a shopper were stabbed inside Marks & Spencer on 2 December 2020

A man who stabbed two women in a Marks & Spencer store believed the retailer funded Israel in its "persecution" of Palestine, a jury has heard.

Munawar Hussain, 58, wounded the manager in the neck and chased her through the store in Burnley, Lancashire, on 2 December 2020.

He then stabbed a customer in the arm before the blade snapped after it became stuck in her handbag strap.

Hussain has denied attempted murder at Manchester Crown Court.

He has also pleaded not guilty to two alternative counts of wounding with intent.

After the attacks Mr Hussain fled and was detained outside by a store security guard and members of the public before police arrived, the court heard.

Following his arrest, a note, written in Urdu, was discovered on him which read: "O Israel, you are inflicting atrocities on Palestinians and Marks Spencer helping you financially."

Alex Leach QC, prosecuting, said the defendant walked to the store from his home in Murray Street, Burnley, and launched his attack just moments after he entered and asked to speak to a manager.

'Persecution'

He said it became apparent to police officers he had a history of mental health problems but doctors later deemed him fit to answer questions the following March.

Mr Leach said: "He told the police that he had targeted Marks & Spencer deliberately because he believed Marks & Spencer funded Israel in what he described as its persecution of Palestine.

"He said that had his knife not broken he would have gone on to kill others. He said that he expected that the police might kill him and he intended to be a martyr."

Store manager Samantha Worthington suffered a collapsed lung and nerve damage from the blow which passed near her jugular vein.

She told police her assailant was wearing a Covid mask and recalled his eyes "looked pure evil".

Ms Worthington said: "If I had fallen he would have killed me. I just thought he is not taking me away from my kids."

Jurors were told Mr Hussain does not dispute stabbing Ms Worthington and customer Janet Dell and the issue for them to decide was what his intention was at the time.

Judge Nicholas Dean QC, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, told them: "The prosecution say that Mr Hussain had a terrorist motive for his actions. Even if you are sure he had such motivation it does not necessarily follow he had an intent to kill."

The prosecution say it was "overwhelmingly clear" from the evidence that Mr Hussain had such intentions.

The trial continues.