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June 11, 2007

UK: Father & Uncle Guilty Of Muslim Honor Killing

On May 4, 2006 we wrote of the murder of a stunningly beautiful woman whose decomposing body was found in a suitcasse at a garden in Handsworth, Birmingham.

Banaz Mahmod Babakir Agha, who lived in Mitcham, south London, disappeared on 23 January this year. The 20-year old woman of Kurdish origins had last been seen at 5.50 pm in Cricket Green in Mitcham. She made no withdrawals from her bank account following her disappearance, and soon it was assumed by police that she had been murdered, in high probability in an honour killing. Properties were searched in London, Birmingham and Sheffield.

Her body was found in a suitcase in Alexandra Road, Handsworth, 50 miles away from her home, on Friday 28 April. Following the discovery of her body, five people who had previously been arrested were once again brought in for questioning, the BBC reported on Sunday.

Two people have been charged with her murder. In February, 29-year old Mohamad Marid Hama of South Norwood (South London) was charged with murder at Greenwich Magistrates Court. He is now in custody, awaiting an appearance at the Central Criminal Court on May 12. Hama is not related to Banaz' family.

On Monday (May 1) Banaz' uncle, 50-year old Ari Mahmod Babakir was remanded in custody at Woolwich Magistrates' Court. He lived at Sandy Lane, Mitcham.

Sixteen other people have been bailed to return to the police, pending further enquiries.

Today, news from Times Online, the BBC, MSNBC News and the International Herald Tribune reports that her father (left in picture) and her uncle (right) have been found guilty of Banaz' murder.

Banaz was strangled by her uncle Ari Mahmod, 51, with a shoelace, on the orders of his brother, Banaz's father, 52-year old Mahmod Mahmod. The decision to kill the young woman was made at a family tribunal. At least 25 Muslim women have been killed in honor killings in Britain over the past decade, and 100 homicides are now being investigated as potential honor killings. Diana Nammi of the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organization said: "We're seeing an increase around the world, due in part to the rise in Islamic fundamentalism."

When Banaz was young her father would beat her for "wearing hair spray" and for being "too Westernized". When she was a teenager, she ran away from home, but her father sent her an audio tape. In this, he said he would kil Banaz' sisters, mother and himself if she did not return.

Her brother also attacked her on another occasion, leading to Banaz being hospitalized, her sister told the court during the three month trial. Her father then had paid her brother to kill her. Her sister gave her testimony while wearing a black burqa.

Banaz went to the police in December 2005, convinced that she was going to be killed. She also sent them a letter naming the individuals she thought would kill her. Nothing was done, and she was murdered.

On New Year's Eve 2005, she was lured to her grandmother's home, and forced to drink alcohol by her father. When he went towards her, wearing gloves, she broke through a window and escaped, requiring hospital treatment. Such is the extent of police callousness and refusal to believe her story - one officer tried to charge her for breaking the window, rather than offering her the protection she sought for herself and her boyfriend. The officer is now under investigation.

On January 22, 2006 she was seen by family members with her boyfriend. Shortly after this, a group of men tried to get her boyfriend to enter a car, and Banaz once again went to the police, who recommended she go to a "safe house". Banaz thought her mother would protect her. Other individuals who were probably responsible for the killing are no longer in the country.

She recorded a video message on her boyfriend's mobile phone while lying in hospital after escaping through the window at her grandmother's house, which can be viewed here. She states in the video: "Then, my dad said when you and Payman are talking, you normally cry, when you cry you can't open up and talk about your worries and problems to anyone. So I brought you some beer that you can drink. He asked me if I have ever drunk beer before. I said no, never, it was in a black plastic bag like the one in Kurdistan, he said open it up and drink it bit by bit."

Her boyfriend says: "You said it was brandy and now you say it's beer?" and she answers: "I don't know it was beer in Kurdish we just call it beer.

The boyfriend states: "But you said it was brandy. Brandy is different from beer. Brandy is one thing and beer is another."

She says "Brandy from France. Eight units."

Boyfriend: "Okay, but are you sure your dad gave it to you?"

Banaz: "Yes I am sure. He gave it to me then he went to the other room I could hear some noise.

Boyfriend: "Okay tell me why did your Dad give you alcohol? Does your dad not read the Koran? Does your Dad not read the Koran? Doesn't he pray? How can he give you beer?"

Banaz: "I don't know, he just gave it to me"

Boyfriend: "How can he give it to you to drink it?

Banaz: "I don't know he didn't open it. He gave it to me in the bag..... I don't know. He said from 3.30 to 4 I have to drink half the bottle. I was sitting on the sofa and watching cartoon. Around 5 my Dad said... "Come and sit on the floor' and I did so...."

Boyfriend: "Who said that?"

Banaz: "My Dad. It was just me and my Dad in the room. We were in the living room. The curtains were all shut and the room was dark. Only the TV was on.... He said'Turn your back to me.' I turned aound every now and then - I was looking. I don't know how to say it - er - er.... I didn't trust him. I didn't turn my back fully on him. I was sitting sideways to him. Yes, he asked me 'How do you feel now?' I told him 'I feel hot.' He said 'Where, in your chest?' I said yes. I got up and stumbled. I was really dizzy, he asked me do I want to sleep. I said no.... I finished the drink, I finished all of it. I got up and went to the other room. He came back to the room. He was wearing black Reebok trainers and blue gloves. But they were in different colors - one was blue and the other was white. I was really scared. I got up to leave the room and I went towards my Dad. I was trying to fet to the front door but he said 'Sit down, sit down. You are sleepy'. And I did so. Then he went to the other room."

"At this point I looked at the door. I went towards the back garden's door. The key was in the door so I open the door.... I saw white English women. I shout for help... Then I smashed two windows - one of them with this hand and the other with this hand. But no one came to help me, and then I ran to the fence and jumped over it. I fell to the ground but I managed to get to the main gate and open the main entrance - there were cars coming from both sides from the left and the right. I went to a man..."

Banaz' botfriend, 28-year old Rahmat Sulemani, said: "I hope that police are going to take this more seriously because it is happening every day in Britain. If somebody goes to the police and complains that they are threatened by someone and they fear for their lives, I just hope that they are going to do something before it's too late."

The Association of Chief Police Officers is to publish an action plan this summer on "honor violence". It will look at the failures in this case.

For more information on UK honor killings, see our Special Report.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at June 11, 2007 7:56 PM

Comments

Posted by: Al.R.O'Ackbar at June 12, 2007 1:34 PM

Posted by: allat at June 12, 2007 8:41 PM

Posted by: Giraldus Cambrensis at June 14, 2007 4:07 PM

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