White House refuses to condemn white 'terrorist' accused of murdering a black man

James Harris Jackson is accused of stabbing a 66-year-old black man from behind with a sword

The White House has refused to condemn a white supremacist charged with murder as an act of terrorism.

James Harris Jackson, 28, is accused of stabbing a 66-year-old black man in a "practice run" for a larger attack.

The victim, Timothy Caughman, who was remembered as a gentleman and a good neighbour, was alone and collecting bottles for recycling last week when he was attacked from behind with a sword.

He staggered, bleeding, into a police station and later died at a hospital.

When asked about the hate crime, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said: "I am not going to reference an specific case before the DOJ right now."

He added: "The President has recognised that we need to bring the country together. He wants to unite this country. He wants to bring people together."

Mr Spicer went on to say he didn't know "all of the details" and added he didn't "want to reference any specific case."

Jackson, a former army veteran, said the attack was a "practice run" for a larger attack and told the New York Daily News he was on a mission to prevent interracial relationships.

He said he would rather have killed a "young thug" or a "successful older black man with blondes."

Jackson was charged with murder as an act of terrorism in addition to the murder as an act of hate crime charge he already faced.

He did not speak and his attorney did not comment when he appeared in court on Monday.

He faces life in prison without a chance of parole.

Donald Trump was urged to publicly condemn Jackson after the president tweeted his condolences to a US tourist who was killed in the London terror attacks.

“A man named Timothy Caughman was killed on Monday in NYC by a white supremacist in a terrorist attack. Maybe send condolences to his family,” one man wrote in a tweet directed to Mr Trump.