The son of a man who was set on fire as he left a Birmingham mosque believes the attack could have been prevented if the Metropolitan Police had acted more quickly. Mohammed Abbkr, 29, was given an indefinite hospital order after being found guilty of attempting to murder an 82-year-old man in Ealing and a 70-year-old man in Edgbaston. Abbkr used a lighter and petrol in a water bottle to set fire to his victims in both attacks, leaving them with long-lasting physical injuries and significant mental trauma.
The eldest son of one of the victims praised the West Midlands Police for catching Abbkr but criticized the Metropolitan Police for their response to the first attack. He expressed his belief that if London police had captured Abbkr after the initial attack, the subsequent attack in Birmingham may have been prevented. The family still has questions for the government and the Home Office regarding the handling of the case and the asylum process.
Originally from Sudan, Abbkr came to the UK seeking asylum in 2017 and was granted leave to remain two years later. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia following the attacks. The younger Mr Rayaz expressed concern over whether thorough medical examinations were carried out on Abbkr before he was granted leave to remain. The Home Office stated that all asylum applications are carefully considered on their individual merits.
The attacks were carried out on random victims, as Abbkr genuinely believed they were trying to take control of him. Despite severe mental illness, Abbkr was convicted of the attacks and sentenced to a hospital order. The hospital order will require him to receive lifelong treatment and prevents his release without permission from the Ministry of Justice. It was established that drug or alcohol abuse did not contribute to his behavior.
The judge emphasized that the attacks were horrific and highlighted the severe injuries and trauma inflicted on the victims. The Crown Prosecution Service commended the sentence and hoped it would provide reassurance to those affected by the attacks. While initially investigated by counter-terrorism officers, the attacks were not treated as terrorism due to the lack of ideological motivation. The victims and their families showed exceptional courage in facing the physical and emotional wounds inflicted by the attacks. The Metropolitan Police conducted a thorough investigation and found no missed opportunities that could have led to the early identification of the suspect.
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