FIRE ATTACKS
Horrifying moment two elderly Muslim men are set on fire in shocking attacks outside UK mosques
One of the victims spent weeks in hospital after the attack
HORRIFIC CCTV footage shows the moment two elderly Muslim men were set on fire outside UK mosques.
Mohammed Abbkr, 29, is on trial accused of attempting to murder Hashi Odowa, 82, and Mohammed Rayaz, 70, in separate attacks.
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Abbkr admits being the person responsible for setting both men alight but denies attempted murder and administering a destructive thing with intent to endanger life. He is standing trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Footage released by West Midlands Police shows Abbkr arriving and praying at West London Islamic Centre, in Ealing, London ahead of the first incident on February 27.
The video shows him following Mr Odowa out of the mosque. The next shot shows a fireball erupt on the street as Mr Odowa was set alight, causing burns to his ears and hands.
The CCTV from the Birmingham attack also captures both parties praying at Dudley Road Mosque on March 20.
Abbkr then follows the victim along the streets at the end of prayers and can be heard asking Mr Rayaz whether he speaks Arabic.
When he says he speaks Urdu and Punjabi, Mr Rayaz can then be seen being sprayed with a liquid from a bottle before being engulfed in a ball of flames.
Mr Odowa told how he thought he was going to die after he was sprayed with the liquid.
He said: "The man said in Arabic 'I swear in the name of Allah in the name of God you will know me.' I felt like he wanted to threaten me.
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"The man then got closer to me. I saw him shake the bottle. He was targeting my face and then he poured the petrol from top down. I put my hand up to my face. Then he lit the flame, it caught the left side of my face.
"I do not know what he used to start the fire with. I remember a big flame. I remember removing my jacket to get the flames off. My vest was on fire and I took it off."
Nicholas de la Poer KC, prosecuting, told the court: "It is the prosecution case that the defendant intended to kill Mr Odowa and Mr Rayaz when he attacked them.
"The defendant has denied this and on his behalf it is contended that he was suffering from delusions at the time and had not intended to kill a human being."
"Mr Rayaz survived the defendant's attack but he was less fortunate than Mr Odowa. He suffered more serious burns, injuries particularly to his head.
"He was in hospital for a number of weeks following the attack. It is the prosecution case that when the defendant threw petrol on Mr Rayaz and set fire to him and then added further petrol to the flames, he was intending to kill him."
The trial continues.
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