A 25-year-old man from north London has been charged with murdering Sir David Amess, the Conservative MP, as part of a terrorist attack, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
Ali Harbi Ali, a British national of Somali heritage, was arrested at the scene of the attack in Leigh on Sea, Essex, last Friday and detained under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Sir David suffered multiple stab wounds at the attack at Belfairs Methodist Church in his constituency.
Paramedics tried for two hours to save his life, but the MP died of his injuries.
Nick Price, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: "The CPS has authorised charges against Ali Harbi Ali for the murder of MP Sir David Amess on Friday 15 October 2021.
"We will submit to the court that this murder has a terrorist connection, namely that it had both religious and ideological motivations.
"He has also been charged with the preparation of terrorist acts. This follows a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.
"The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Ali are active and that he has the right to a fair trial."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson led tributes to Sir David, who was described as "a patriot" and "irreplaceable".
Matt Jukes, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations, said: "I want to send my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sir David Amess, who died so tragically last Friday.
"Sir David’s dedication to his family, his constituents and his community, and his positive impact on the lives of so many has shone through.
"Today's charge is a significant milestone in the case, but the work from my colleagues in the Met's Counter Terrorism Command will continue apace."
Ali remains in custody and will first appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Thursday.
Matt Jukes' statement, in full
On behalf of everyone involved in counter-terrorism and wider policing - I'd like to offer my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sir David, who died so tragically last Friday.
Sir David's dedication to his family, his constituents, and his community and his positive impact on the life of so many have been abundantly clear since his death.
Specialist officers continue to support to Sir David's family and all of our sympathies are with them.
I would also like to recognise the courage and professionalism of officers from Essex Police and paramedics for their response to the incident.
As you know, last Friday Sir David tragically died from serious injuries after being stabbed at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea.
A man was arrested at the scene.
Since then, the Met's counter-terrorism command has led the investigation.
A large team of detectives have been working around the clock to find out as much as we can about what happened and why.
That work has included searches of a number of London addresses.
Our advanced forensics teams have analysed digital devices, and carried out a painstaking review of CCTV footage.
I also want to thank witnesses, and members of the public who have supported the investigation with information.
As a result of all of that work, today, we have reached a significant milestone.
Following the submission of a file of evidence to the Crime Prosecution Service, charges have been authorised.
Ali Harbi Ali, aged 25 and from north London, has been charged with murder, and the preparation of terrorist acts contrary to Section Five of the Terrorism Act, 2006.
Ali remains in custody, and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon.
We will continue to build our case.
If there are members of the public who have further information that might help the investigation - I would urge them to come forward.
Every piece of information in investigations like this is important, and you will not be wasting our time.
Please contact us through the anti-terrorist hotline.
It remains the case that no other arrests have been made and at this time, we are not seeking anybody else in relation to this incident.
There has been considerable speculation in the media about the background history and motivation of the man now charged.
I understand the interest in these questions, and of course, they form part of our investigation.
However, no charges have been brought, we will not be providing further information on any aspects of this case.
And I would strongly urge anyone interested in the case to exercise restraint when commenting on it publicly.
We all have an interest in ensuring future court proceedings are not prejudiced in any way.
I would also like to reiterate the request made by Sir David's family, that their privacy be respected.
I fully understand the significant impact that the attack on Sir David has had on his colleagues in the Houses of Parliament.
We've been working closely with Parliament's own security team, and with the Home Office to review existing arrangements for MP security, and that work will continue.
Police forces across the country have been working with individual MPs to review their specific arrangements.
Alongside this case, it's important for me to stress, counter-terrorism officers across the UK and the Security Service and other partners are working night and day to bear down on the threat from terrorism.
Our communities play a vital well in those efforts.
Every day, information given to the police by the public helps investigations.
If you see or hear something suspicious - trust your instincts, contact the police.
Phone us or contact us in confidence, online.
In respect of this investigation, although charges have been laid, our work continues.
And while it does - Sir David's family remain in our thoughts.