A “wicked” arsonist who murdered three generations of the same family 17 years ago after a house was petrol-bombed in a “planned revenge” attack has been jailed for life.
Shahid Mohammed, 37, was “principally responsible” for the firebombing of the Chishti family household which followed an ongoing feud.
He reacted angrily when his sister, Shahida became involved in a relationship with a man named Saud Pervez, of whom he did not approve.
A court heard he suspected Mohammed Ateeq-Ur-Rehman, who was Saud’s best friend, played an “active part” in the maintaining of their relationship and that he was probably the target of the arson attack.
Mohammed helped hatch a plan with the intention of killing Ateeq which was “ruthlessly executed”on May 12, 2002.
Four petrol bombs loaded with 38 metal nuts were thrown through a double-glazed front window and two to three litres of petrol was also poured through the letterbox as the family slept upstairs.
Those killed in the resulting blaze – described by firefighters as “the worst house fire they had seen” – included five sisters under the age of ten, their mother and uncle, Mr Ateeq-ur-Rehman.
The children’s grandmother suffered a head injury while trying to escape the burning home in Birkby near Huddersfield, West Yorks., and died in hospital a week later.
Shaied Iqbal was convicted of eight counts of murder and two other men, Nazar Hussain and Shakiel Shazad, were found guilty of eight counts of manslaughter at a trial in 2003.
But Mohammed was not part of those proceedings as he had skipped bail and tried to “shield and hide away his true identity in Pakistan”.
Dogged determination by a succession of senior officers at West Yorkshire Police saw him tracked down and arrested in Pakistan on January 22, 2015.
Mohammed, of no fixed address, was only the second person to be extradited from Pakistan in more than ten years in October last year, a court heard.
He was convicted on Tuesday (6 Aug) of eight counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit arson with the intention to endanger life following a four-week trial.
Mohammed was today (Weds) jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years at Leeds Crown Court.
In a heartbreaking read statement from survivor Mohammed Shafique, who jumped out of a window, he said: “We are naturally pleased that the man who ignored police and court bail and somehow left the country has finally been brought to justice after 17 heart-breaking years.
“He has now been convicted of killing much beloved members of our family on 12 May 2002 in a most despicable crime.
“This person acted with others to throw petrol bombs through the windows of our home and pour petrol through the letterbox.
“It would have been apparent to him the only route of escape was down the stairs. He would have known that this would have prevented our family from reaching safety.
“This person is responsible for the murder of eight members of our family.
“Three adult members of the family survived, both by fighting the flames and by jumping through the windows, although we have suffered the results of smoke inhalation and horrific burns.
“The sight of seeing your youngest brother and son desperately trying but failing to escape from the family home will live with us until the day we die.
“We are all left with deep psychological scars. The memory of hearing the sounds of our beautiful nieces perishing in the fire.”
The eight family members who died were 35-year-old Nafeesa Aziz, her five young daughters – Tayyaba Batool, three, Rabiah Batool, ten, Ateeqa Nawaz, five, Aneesa Nawaz, two, and Najeeba Nawaz, six months; Nafeesa Aziz’s brother, Mohammed Ateeq-ur-Rehman, 18, and their mother, Zaib-un-Nisa, 54.
During Mohammed’s trial, jurors heard the blaze had followed a grudge that the defendant had been “pursuing vigorously”.
Prosecutors said Mohammed reacted angrily when his sister, Shahida became involved in a relationship with a man named Saud Pervez, of whom he did not approve.
Three members of the family managed to survive the blaze but witnesses described hearing screams coming from the terrace property by those who could not escape after the fire took hold, a court heard.
During the trial, one surviving member of the family, Siddiqah Aziz, told a court how she managed to save her father from the inferno but was prevented from coming to the aid of other family members when she was met by a wall of flames.
Prosecutor Alistair MacDonald QC said: “All those who were upstairs were overwhelmingly likely to be trapped on the upper floors by the fire that rapidly developed once the petrol had been ignited.”
He said the attack had been “carefully planned” and that, as the men drove away from the scene, Mohammed said to Iqbal: “Did you see the way it went up?”
Speaking today (Weds), Mohammed’s barrister Abbas Lakha QC said he travelled to Pakistan on a valid passport which expired in June 2002.
Mohammed married in 2006 and went on to have four children including three girls and one boys between the ages of 13 and seven.
Mr Lakha said Mohammed has had no contact with his children at all and will not for the foreseeable future.
He said the children’s mother does not have the right to British citizenship and he cannot sponsor her while she is in custody.
Mr Lakha also said he suffered from a six-month major depressive episode.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Robin Spencer said: “Had you not absconded in 2002 you would have been tried and convicted along with your co-accused and sentenced in 2003. That would have brought closure for the Chishti family.
“Instead they have have had to live for all these years with the knowledge that one of the men principally responsible for these wicked murders had not been brought to justice.
“The lives of eight precious family members across the three generations were wiped out that night.
“Those left behind to grieve will never come to terms with their loss. Words cannot express the depth of their pain and distress.
“You had a long-standing grievance against Ateeq. He was the best friend of a young man called Saud who had formed a relationship with your sister, Shahida, a relationship of which you and your brothers strongly disapproved.
“You were not present when the petrol bombs were being constructed but you soon knew about them.
“I am quite sure on all the evidence that you were one of the four at the house who actively took part in some way in the joint activity of smashing the window, throwing the firebombs into the lounge and pouring petrol through the letterbox and lighting it.”
Mohammed has previous convictions for possession of a bladed article in public, taking a vehicle without consent, driving without insurance, driving whilst disqualified and breaching a community punishment order.
Unity News Network (UNN) Staff Writer | To find out more details about our staff, please head to the About Us section on our website.
