The suspect arrested on suspicion of the murder of Sir David Amess has the same details as another individual previously referred to the government’s Prevent anti-terrorism programme, reports claim.

A 25-year-old British national of Somali heritage is being questioned after Conservative MP Sir David, 69, was fatally stabbed at his constituency in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on Friday.

The Metropolitan Police said the attack is being treated as a terror incident – with an early investigation revealing ‘a potential link to extremism’.

Sources told The Guardian how the suspect has the same details as a person previously referred to the Prevent scheme – which deals with people feared to be at risk of radicalisation.

Officers are searching two addresses in the London area, according to the newspaper.

The Met currently are not seeking any other suspects.

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The suspect is said to have lived in Sir David’s Southend West constituency and may have booked an appointment to see the MP before he was stabbed a number of times at Belfriars Church in Eastwood Road.

Urgent background checks are being carried out to establish if there are any potential links to extremist organisations.

And his health records are also reportedly being checked to determine his psychiatric history.

Scotland Yard said the country’s most senior counter-terror officer, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, has formally declared Sir David’s killing a terrorist incident.

The married father-of-five, an MP for almost 40 years, was treated by paramedics but could not be saved.

It comes as Sir David wrote a chilling warning how attacks on politicians ‘could happen to any of us’ in his book, Ayes and Ears: A Survivors Guide to Westminster, published last December.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has ordered an immediate review with all MPs being contacted by police to check on their security.

She described the killing as a ‘senseless attack on democracy’.

It comes as murdered Jo Cox’s sister, MP Kim Leadbeater revealed how her partner had asked her to stand down in the wake of the incident.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves throughout Westminster and across the nation, as Ms Leadbeater warned how ‘so many MPs will be scared by this’.

‘This is the risk we are all taking,’ the Labour MP for Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire said.

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