Alan Senitt

Who was Alan Senitt?

Alan Senitt was a British political activist whose murder in Washington, DC garnered media attention. He had just graduated with an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy from the prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

From Pinner, North London, he had previously attended Nower Hill High School and Senitt was a former chairman of the Union of Jewish Students. He stood as the Labour Party candidate in Edgware, North London, in the May 2006 local elections.

He worked with Lord Greville Janner, a member of the House of Lords and vice-president of the World Jewish Congress in 2005, as director of the Coexistence Trust charity. He also worked for the All-Party British-Israel Parliamentary Group and the British Israel Communications and Research Centre. He moved to the United States in June 2006 to volunteer for Mark Warner's political action committee Forward Together.

Senitt was murdered in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. early on 9 July 2006. Senitt, 27, was escorting a female friend home when they were confronted by three males; at least one had a gun, and one had a knife. One attempted to sexually assault the woman while the other two assailants grabbed Senitt, stabbed him and slashed his throat. Then they fled, riding away in a car driven by a woman. Four suspects were arrested the same day. Christopher Piper, 25, was charged with felony murder and attempted sexual assault. Jeffery Rice, 22; Olivia Miles, 26; and a 15-year-old boy whom police declined to identify because he has been charged as a juvenile, were all arrested for murder charges. The juvenile later pled guilty to murder, as well as other charges, and has been sentenced.