Mohammed Abbkr, a paranoid schizophrenic, has been handed an indefinite hospital order after he doused and set alight two elderly worshippers in separate attacks in London and Birmingham. The attacks left 82-year-old Hashi Odowa and 70-year-old Mohammed Rayaz with severe physical injuries and lasting mental trauma.
A man who set fire to two worshippers as they walked home from mosques in London and Birmingham has been given a hospital order.
— Birmingham Police (@BrumPolice) April 17, 2024
Our officers recognised him from CCTV and arrested him when they spotted him the day after the Birmingham attack.
More ? https://t.co/qdo33thFCw pic.twitter.com/VyBEGWzI7o
Abbkr, 29, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, attacked the victims as they were leaving their local mosques, 120 miles apart. He claimed that he believed people possessed by evil spirits were controlling him through magic.
The horrific incidents occurred on different dates, with Abbkr targeting his victims at random. Terrifying CCTV footage captured him stalking the elderly worshippers before approaching them with a rucksack containing lighter fluid. Both victims were left with severe burns, with Mr. Rayaz suffering extensive injuries to his face and neck.
Following his guilty verdict for two counts of attempted murder, Abbkr was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order by Judge Melbourne Inman KC at Birmingham Crown Court. The judge acknowledged Abbkr’s severe mental illness but emphasized the gravity of his actions, calling the attacks “horrific” and stating that Abbkr represented a significant danger to the public.
Mr. Rayaz, a grandfather and devoted Muslim, was left with life-changing injuries, including PTSD and depression. His family expressed their profound trauma and frustration with the government’s handling of Abbkr’s case, questioning why he was allowed to remain in the country despite his mental health issues.
The court heard harrowing details of the attacks, with Mr Rayaz recalling his terror as Abbkr approached him with a bottle of petrol and set him ablaze. Mr. Odowa also described the horrifying moment when he was attacked outside a mosque in London.
Abbkr’s defence argued that his actions were a result of his severe mental illness and not an intention to kill. However, the prosecution maintained that Abbkr’s actions constituted attempted murder, emphasizing the severity of the attacks and their impact on the victims’ lives.
The sentencing includes provisions for Abbkr’s treatment at a high-security hospital, with the possibility of release contingent on assessments of his mental health and approval from the Secretary of State for Justice. Meanwhile, the victims and their families continue to grapple with the physical and psychological aftermath of the attacks, hoping for justice and healing in the years to come.
