Gang Member Murdered Drug Rival With Machine Gun In Edinburgh Suburb
A man who was part of a gang which murdered a drug rival with a machine gun has been given a life sentence.
A man who was part of a gang who murdered a drug rival with a machine gun was sentenced to life imprisonment.
At the High Court in Glasgow 29-year-old Mohammed Ahmed, who is also known as Jamal Saeed, was convicted of killing Mohamed Abdi at Duddingston Road West, Edinburgh, on May 26, 2013, while acting with others.
Judge John Morris QC ordered Ahmed to serve at least 25 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
He told Ahmed: The jury convicted you of a particularly brutal murder by using a machine gun and gunning down a young man in an otherwise quiet suburb of our capital.
The use of lethal firearms will not be tolerated on our streets.
Three other men Mohamud Mohamud, 30, Cadil Huseen, 23, and Hussein Ali, 26, are already serving life sentences for the murder and will spend a minimum of 25 years each behind bars.
Judge Morris told Ahmed: I see no reason to discriminate between you and the others who pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 25 years each.
As he was led away to begin his sentence Ahmed gave a thumbs up to his family who were sitting in the public benches.
Defence advocate Andrew Murphy said that his client still insisted he is innocent.
Mr Murphy handed Judge Morris a letter from Ahmed saying: It gives some of his feelings about the trial, some good, some bad.
The court heard that Ahmed almost got away with murder. He fled the scene and flew to Somalia, where he was born, just days after the street shooting.
But, unknown to him he left behind at the murder scene his wallet. A bank card belonging to him was also found in the roof lining of the Volkwagen Sharan driven by the killers.
The court heard that the killers and the victim were drug rivals and had a falling out.