The suspect in a stabbing attack in Belfast that triggered disorder in the city has been named for the first time after he appeared in court charged with attempted murder.
Hadi Alodid who appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, has been remanded in custody for four weeks after being charged with the attempted stabbing murder of Stephen Ogilvie, threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.
The court heard Mr Ogilvie lost an eye during the attack, which took place on Monday in the Kinnaird Avenue residential area, close to the busy Antrim Road in north Belfast.
Read The Independent’s live updates on the Belfast attack here
The reaction to the incident saw mobs set homes, a bus and cars on fire, with people targeted based on their race.
Police fear further violence in the wake of the attack, which was captured on video and has been widely shared online, with high-profile social media accounts using the incident to call for street protests.
Sir Keir Starmer has promised to use “the full force of the law” against those found to be part of the disorder.
Alodid refused legal representation and made no reply to charges which were put put to him through an Arabic interpreter when he appeared in court.
The 30-year-old, with an address at Duncairn Avenue in Belfast, appeared via videolink and made no reply to the charges when they were put to him through the interpreter.
He was refused bail after a detective told the court there was a fear it would lead to “significant public disorder” if he was released due to “strong public feeling” about the incident.
Police said they “strongly” opposed bail on the grounds that Alodid is charged with an “extremely serious offence” that has “garnered serious media attention”.
The detective said if further offences were committed they would be “serious and unpredictable in nature”, and said the applicant is from Sudan and has links outside of the jurisdiction.
She also told the court he may fear for his own safety or fear a possible long custodial sentence.
The defendant made no reply.
District judge Stephen Keown said the risks were “far too great” and would be “unmanageable by any bail conditions”, and refused bail due to the risk of reoffending, risk of harm to the public, risk of public disorder and risk of flight.
Judge Keown also warned that anyone who plans to take part in further disorder in Northern Ireland should “be prepared to go to prison” and said the courts “won’t tolerate” any attacks on emergency services.
He said that the court’s thoughts were with the victim, the members of the public who intervened and the emergency services who went to the victims’ aid and those who came to Mr Ogilvie’s aid should be commended.
He said that emergency services who had helped the victim now coming “under attack is something the courts won’t tolerate”.
He noted that there is a call on social media for men aged over 18 to close streets, wear dark clothes and to be prepared to fight and be arrested.
He said that anyone involved in attacks on the community and members of the community can “also expect to go to prison, and that message should be sent out loud and clear”.
