Family of Suspect in London Stabbing Says He Had Mental Health Issues

LONDON (AP) —
A railway bridge crosses a street in Leytonstone, east London, December 7, 2015. A 29-year-old man appeared in court on Monday after being charged by counter-terrorism officers with attempted murder in a weekend knife attack at Leytonstone underground station in east London. Wearing a grey t-shirt and grey track suit bottoms, Muhaydin Mire of east London spoke only to confirm his name, age and address at Westminster Magistrates' Court. REUTERS/Toby Melville
A railway bridge crosses a street in Leytonstone, East London. A 29-year-old man appeared in court on Monday after being charged by counterterrorism officers with attempted murder in a stabbing attack at Leytonstone underground station. (Reuters/Toby Melville)

The family of a man suspected in a stabbing at an East London subway station says he had mental health issues and they contacted the police in the weeks before the attack.

The brother of Muhaydin Mire, 29, told Channel 4 News that the suspect had spent three months in hospital after being diagnosed with paranoia in 2007. Mohamed Mire said his brother was better at first, but problems resurfaced in August, and that Muhaydin began to speak about seeing “demons and stuff.”

The family contacted police but decided to send him to be with family in Somalia. Tickets were booked for Sunday, the day after the attack.

Muhaydin Mire allegedly screamed “This is for Syria” during the attack in which he slashed a passenger’s neck at the station.

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