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November 28, 2005

UK: Family of Failed Muslim Assassin Cleared

27-year old Omar Sharif wished to be an Islamist suicide bomber. He was filmed in April 2003 (left) with another UK citizen, Asif Hanif, in Israel as they proclaimed messages of hate against Israel, before setting off to kill innocent Jewish civilians.

They entered a Tel Aviv bar, and both tried to set off their explosive belts. Hanif was ripped to shreds, taking with him three Israelis, but Sharif failed to make his explosives go off. He ran away, and 12 days later his body was found on the Tel Aviv shoreline. It is believed that shame, cowardice or some other motive caused him to commit suicide, a sin against Islam.

We reported earlier how his brother and sister, Parveen and Zahid Sharif were on trial accused of failing to disclose information relating to a terrorism offence. Parveen was also accused of inciting terrorism.

Prosecutors had claimed that Sharif had sent emails to his family in the days leading up to the attack, effectively informing them of his intentions.

Today the BBC announced that the jury in their Old Bailey trial decided that the pair were not guilty, and Zahid Sharif read out a statement outside the court: "We want to make it clear we did not know what our brother was going to do.

"It shocked us as much as everyone else and we are still shocked.

"We are relieved and grateful to the jury and the judge for their fairness and to everyone for their kindness."

In July 2004, the widow of Omar Sharif had been cleared of failing to alert the authorities of a terrorist attack, but the jury could not reach a verdict upon Perveen or Zahid Sharif, which led to this retrial.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 28, 2005 10:08 AM

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