Mosque attacks: Man found guilty of attempted murder

Mohammad Abbkr has been found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, after setting two men on fire after leaving mosques in London and Birmingham earlier this year.

The 29-year-old who is originally from Sudan, now of Gillott Road, Edgbaston, injured his victims after throwing lit petrol at them in Ealing, London, in February, and in Edgbaston, Birmingham, in March.

Abbkr admitted setting both victims on fire, but denied two counts of attempted murder and two alternative counts of unlawfully and maliciously administering a destructive thing so as to endanger life.

What happened?

On 27 February 2023, Hashi Odowa, 82, was set on fire with lit petrol after leaving the West Ealing Islamic Centre.

The victim was approached by Abbkr, who was holding a Volvic water bottle containing what is believed to have been petrol. Abbkr had attended the same evening prayers and had followed him out.

Abbkr asked the victim if he remembered him, and the victim replied no. Abbkr then said: “I swear in the name of Allah, in the name of God, you will know me.”

He then poured petrol over him, setting him ablaze with a lighter and running away. The victim threw his burning jacket into the road, before being taken to hospital with burns to his face and left hand.

Abbkr struck again on 20 March, this time targeting a Mohammed Rayaz, aged 70, who had been at the Dudley Road mosque in Birmingham.

At around 7pm, he approached Mr Rayaz, on Shenstone Road, and spoke to him, asking him if he spoke Arabic. He then poured fuel over him before setting him on fire.

Mr Rayaz managed to walk to his son’s house nearby. His son opened the door and the victim said: “Son, son, someone’s put me on fire.”

He suffered serious injuries, particularly to his head, and was treated in hospital for several weeks.

His victim has been diagnosed with depression and PTSD, and may be left with permanent patching to his face.

Family statements

Mohammed Ayaz, the eldest son of Mr Rayaz, said: “One of my early memories as a child growing up was my father taking me to the park, taking me to school and spending quality time with me whilst also juggling work and family life like many great fathers in our great country. So, seeing my father on the evening of 20th March in the burnt state he was in was just an awful and unbearable thing to see.

“My father had kept a beard for 20 years after completing Hajj a religious pilgrimage and on that evening seeing my father’s beautiful white beard all burnt off, eyes and lips swollen up, hands burnt and seeing him half naked with no clothes on the upper body was just a very traumatic and life changing moment. No words can describe that moment the emotions which I was feeling, I felt so helpless and weak, no son or daughter should see their father or mother in that state.

“The unlawful use of violence and intimidation on two elderly people, in two different cities after Islamic prayers and after two separate mosques in my view were all planned in advance and carried out with precision with no concern if the victim lives or dies. Furthermore, no consideration of the surrounding public who could have been hurt also.

“My elderly mother is still traumatised and thinks that the attacker will be released early to come back to finish the job or the attacker’s family might come and attack her and us.”

Another son, Adnaan Riaz, added: “Seeing the CCTV video of my dad being set on fire, his screams of pain and then reliving the visuals to the build-up of the attack and then after the attack will be with me forever. I would describe the attacker as a coward, this coward does not belong to any religion, society or even humanity.

“This impact of emotions which I have shared with you will be felt by me and my family for a very long time to come and will remain with me for the rest of my life.”

What was his defence?

Jurors were told they may have to consider a defence of insanity and would hear evidence from three psychiatrists.

In an interview with one psychiatrist, who judged Abbkr to have paranoid schizophrenia, the defendant claimed those he attacked were not human and he did not expect them to have been hurt by the fire.

Abbkr also said he believed those he had set on fire were among several people "controlling him through magic".

He'll be sentenced on 17 November.

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