Oh for those halcyon days of yore when church-goers would nod discreetly at their priest and
then go off to spend a Sunday pondering the clergyman's words of liberal social cooperation.
But in these disturbing times of multiculturalism, there are those who take a more radical view
of their clerics and thanks to those who fear certain religions where violence seems to be as
common as saying 'Amen', such accounts are delayed to the public.
then go off to spend a Sunday pondering the clergyman's words of liberal social cooperation.
But in these disturbing times of multiculturalism, there are those who take a more radical view
of their clerics and thanks to those who fear certain religions where violence seems to be as
common as saying 'Amen', such accounts are delayed to the public.
Quote:‘Serious blunder’ over Islamic State murder of Rochdale ImamArchived Independent Article:
'A “serious blunder” led to missed opportunities to disrupt a plot by Islamic State extremists to
kill a Rochdale Imam, a public inquiry has found.
Highly respected Jalal Uddin, 71, was bludgeoned to death with a hammer in a public park by
Mohammed Kadir, then aged 24, because he practised a form of Islamic healing the terror
group regarded as “black magic”.
Kadir, from Oldham, fled to Syria afterwards but his getaway driver, Mohammed Syeedy, 21,
a former Manchester United steward and charity worker from Rochdale, was jailed for life for
the murder on February 18 2016.
Imam Jalal Uddin. Mohammed Syeedy.
A third man, Mohammed Syadul Hussain, who had already come under police scrutiny after his
nephew, aged eight, went into school saying he wanted to join the Taliban, was jailed for five
years for helping Kadir leave the UK days after the killing.
A public inquiry was held, chaired by His Honour Thomas Teague KC, which involved both public
and private “closed” hearings, to protect national security. Both a public and “closed” report, not
made public has now been released.
The public report, laid before Parliament today, found all three men convicted after the murder
had previously come to the attention of the police, and highlights that Mohammed Kadir was
known to Counter Terrorism Police at the time of Mr Uddin’s murder and by the end of October
2015 had been identified as a person of high risk and significant concern.
Although the need for a targeted police investigation into his activities had been recognised by
December 10 2015, the steps necessary to set up such an investigation, including the appointment
of a senior investigating officer (SIO) to head it, were not taken.
The report states that a potential appointee was identified within North West Counter Terrorism Unit
(NWCTU), however for reasons beyond the control of that officer and of NWCTU, the steps necessary
to place him in a position to take up the duties of an SIO were not taken.
The exact details of what happened has not been made public.
Judge Teague’s report adds: “In summary, my conclusion is that this failure, the detailed consequences
of which I have traced in my closed report, amounted to a serious blunder that led to the loss of two
opportunities to detect or disrupt the activities of Kadir and Syeedy before Mr Uddin was murdered.
“Above all, I extend my condolences to Mr Uddin’s family and friends.”
The reason for the killing was that Mr Uddin practised a form of healing, known as ruqyah, which they
regarded as blasphemous and his murder was a message that such practices would not be tolerated.
The inquiry’s findings say the investigations into the activities of Kadir and Hussain before the murder
of Jalal Uddin were hampered by “serious mistakes”.
Former detective inspector Frank Morris, who retired from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in 2021,
told the inquiry an investigation into Hussain had been closed down prematurely two years before the
murder. Later, the failure to appoint an SIO led to the two “missed opportunities”.
The first was that Kadir’s Facebook posts of September 2015 might have been scrutinised. They were
captured by police but not reviewed before the murder. Kadir’s social media post had described Imams
like Mr Uddin as “dirty kufr people” and vowed to “take this on” to “paralyse them” and asked for prayers,
“that we do not get caught”.
The report says the second missed opportunity was that even if the plot itself had not been detected
through close analysis of the Facebook posts, other police investigative actions concerning Kadir might
havedetected the plot or, even if only incidentally, disrupted it.
Just a month before the killing, intelligence suggested that Kadir had access to openly available extremist
literature, including bomb-making manuals and other material providing instructions on how to undertake
violent jihad. The report adds: “The failure to make a prompt and effective appointment of an SIO thus led
to the irretrievable loss of opportunities which, had they been acted upon, might have prevented the murder
of Jalal Uddin.”
Kadir’s exact whereabouts are unknown. The former call-centre worker is believed to have fled to Syria and
it is not known if he is still alive. Syeedy is still serving his life sentence. Both had been consumed by hatred
of Mr Uddin after becoming supporters of Islamic State (IS), Syeedy’s trial heard.
Father-of-seven Mr Uddin, from Bangladesh, was a “gentle, well-respected man” whose funeral in Rochdale
was attended by 2,000 locals...'
It's only an island if you look at it from the water.