Two elderly Muslim worshipers were burned this year when a man intentionally set fire to their clothing as they exited mosques in London and Birmingham.
According to a report, after the assaults in February and March of this year, Mohammed Abbkr was arrested and held in detention until he was convicted guilty of attempting to murder Mohammed Rayaz (70) and Hashi Odowa (82) on Monday. Abbkr was found guilty with an 11-1 vote.
During the two-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court, authorities said that Abbkr told his first victim that he vowed ‘in the name of Allah…,’ that Abbkr would be recognized.
Abbkr had supposedly received a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, and the jury was asked to examine whether this may be the basis for finding him not guilty by reason of insanity. After deliberating for over seven hours, spread out over two days, the jury reached a guilty verdict for Abbkr.
At the trial, it was revealed that on February 27 and March 20, Abbkr had used gasoline and a lighter to intentionally set fire to the two elderly victims.
Abbkr arrived in the United Kingdom from his native Sudan as an alleged refugee in 2017.
Odowa was set on fire while walking to a neighbor’s vehicle outside of West Ealing Islamic Centre, sustaining minor burns to his hand and ear.
In Edgbaston, Rayaz was hospitalized for weeks after sustaining significant head burns.
According to reports, Rayaz’s oldest son, Mohammed Ayaz, called the assault on his father agonizing. Another Rayaz son stated he would never forget his father’s cries of anguish after seeing the CCTV assault. The assailant was a coward who belonged to no humanity, faith, or society.
Abbkr lit Rayaz on fire after the accused tracked him out of Dudley Road Mosque in Birmingham after evening prayers.
The court heard that Abbkr put more gas on him after the first flames died down, enveloping him in a flame that engulfed his entire body.
Despite his appearance at mosques and invoking the name of Allah, Chief Inspector Haroon Chughtai claimed the attacks were not terroristic acts because Abbkr did not seem to be driven by an ideology.
