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Man charged with attempted murder after Edinburgh knife incident

David CowanScotland home affairs correspondent
PA Media A block of flats clad in blue and white. Police cars line the residential streets and there is police tape blocking off the area, tied to a lamppost. Two police officers stand on the pavement.PA Media
Two people were taken to hospital but have since been discharged

A man has appeared in court charged with attempting to murder two people and assaulting two others to the danger of their life, during an incident in Edinburgh on Monday.

Mustafa Kokoneh has been accused of threatening to kill a woman, brandishing a knife, chasing her, and attacking her from behind when she was attempting to hide from him.

The charges allege that he struck the woman, who was a shop customer, on the head with a glass bottle and attempted to murder her.

The 23-year-old is also accused of attempting to murder a man by repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife, to his severe injury and permanent impairment.

The BBC understands that Kokoneh is originally from Libya and came to the UK in 2019.

He was granted UK citizenship in 2023, the year he moved north to Scotland.

The attacks are alleged to have taken place at Calder Park Supermarket and an adjacent block of flats, Cobbinshaw House North, in the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh.

Kokoneh is also accused of assaulting two men in the supermarket by attempting to strike them on the body with a knife, to the danger of their lives.

A breach of the peace charge alleges he conducted himself in a disorderly manner, armed himself with weapons including a knife and bottle, threatened and pursued members of the public and vandalised a shop.

He is further accused of "taking shelter" within a property, shouting, threatening to kill himself and throwing items from an 11th floor window, all to the fear and alarm of the public.

Other charges allege he was in possession of a knife and an offensive weapon, namely a bottle, and that he destroyed property in the supermarket by throwing bottles and food items on the floor.

An armed police officer walking near a marked police car. There are other cars parked nearby, including another police car.
Firearms officers were called to the scene in the Calders area of Edinburgh

Police were first called to the incident at about 08:25 on Monday morning after receiving reports of a disturbance involving a man with a bladed weapon.

Local residents have expressed concern that the first officers to arrive did not immediately intervene.

Police Scotland said they were advised not to until firearms officers were at the scene.

It said the incident was not being treated as terror-related and warned that misinformation about what happened was being spread online.

Kokoneh appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in private, made no plea and was remanded in custody.

He is due to appear in court again within eight days.