London: (By Hannah Chowdhry and Juliet Chowdhry) Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for British Asian Christian Association, raises alarm over Ahmed Ali Alid’s attack targeting an apostate and a 70-year-old individual, allegedly driven by sentiments related to the Gaza conflict. The harrowing incident underscores pressing concerns surrounding apostasy hatred, terrorism, and the asylum system’s fragility. The imperative for swift action and thorough examination of the UK’s security and humanitarian landscape is emphasized, demanding a delicate balance between national security imperatives and protection of fundamental human rights.

In a tragic incident, a court has heard that an asylum seeker allegedly committed a random act of violence, resulting in the murder of a pensioner and an attempted attack on a Christian housemate, purportedly “for the sake of Palestine,” just eight days after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

The individual in question, Ahmed Ali Alid, aged 45, had been residing in a shared home in Hartlepool, County Durham, alongside three other asylum seekers at the time of the incident.

According to reports, Mr. Alid attempted to harm Javed Nouri while he slept, believing him to be an “apostate” due to his conversion from Islam to Christianity. Following this, Mr. Alid encountered 70-year-old Terence Carney in the early hours of October 15 while the latter was out for a dawn walk. Despite Mr. Carney’s attempts to evade him, Mr. Alid, brandishing a knife, overpowered him and inflicted six stab wounds.

During the court proceedings, Jonathan Sandiford, prosecuting, stated that Mr. Nouri’s conversion to Christianity led Mr. Alid to view him as an apostate. Mr. Alid allegedly expressed his desire to kill Mr. Nouri and Mr. Carney as an act related to the conflict in Gaza, with the aim of achieving freedom for Palestine from what he termed as “Zionists,” referring to the state of Israel.

Mr. Alid, however, denies the charges of murdering Mr. Carney, attempting to murder Mr. Nouri, and assaulting two female police officers during the aftermath of the alleged attacks.

The trial is currently ongoing, and we will continue to provide updates as they become available. The British Asian Christian Association is actively attempting to reach out to Mr. Javed Nouri, the individual who converted to Christianity and was targeted in the alleged attack. Once contact has been established with Mr. Nouri, we will share his perspective on the matter on this.

The persecution of apostates in the UK is a lesser-known phenomenon, but it remains a significant concern. Nissar Hussain, for example, endured 17 years of persecution before the British Asian Christian Association intervened, ultimately rescuing him and relocating his entire family to safety.

A Christian convert faced insults and threats of sodomy from Muslims after sharing news about new Muslim converts to Christianity being baptized. Despite this alarming incident, the police took no action against the perpetrators, citing shortcomings in the law(click here).

The UK has experienced numerous terrorist attacks stemming from Islamic radicalization. However, an alarming trend indicates an increasing number of attacks perpetrated by asylum seekers, raising concerns about potential abuse of the asylum system. In 2021, a terrorist inadvertently detonated explosives in a taxi, reportedly targeting a Liverpool Cathedral (click here).  

Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for British Asian Christian Association, expressed deep concern over the recent attack by an Islamist, resulting in one death and another injury. She suggested that the Government’s prevent strategy appears to be failing, particularly exacerbated by reductions in police numbers across the UK.

Juliet recounted her husband Wilson Chowdhry’s experience when attempting to report a gym being used as a training center for Jihadists to the SO15 Counter-terrorism branch. Sadly, his concerns were ignored, and three years later, individuals trained at the same gym were involved in the London Bridge Terrorist attack in 2017. She highlighted callers’ feelings of being treated like criminals and concerns that political correctness hindered efficiency in addressing terrorism-related reports (click here).

Furthermore, Juliet underscored the proliferation of hate ideology on the internet, contributing to division and animosity, particularly labeling non-Muslims as evil idolaters. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza has exacerbated polarization, turning schools into battlegrounds for opposing views and targeting communities with flags and banners, many of which are antisemitic.

In light of these challenges, Juliet emphasized the necessity for the government to take decisive action. She advocated for zero tolerance of hate speech and stressed the importance of effective policing to combat extremist groups and establishments, crucial in addressing the escalating terrorism threat prevalent in our streets.

Juliet Chowdhry also emphasized the pressing need for a comprehensive review of the asylum system and its vulnerabilities in light of this attack. She expressed deep concern over tragic incidents that result in loss of life and shake communities to their core.

Moreover, she highlighted the intricate balance between national security and humanitarian obligations, stressing the importance of maintaining the integrity of asylum processes while addressing threats posed by radicalized individuals.

Juliet lamented that amidst discussions of this attack, the targeting of the convert to Christianity may become a mere footnote. She pointed out the disturbing trend of apostasy hatred in an increasingly radicalized UK, noting that existing laws are inadequate to protect victims. Despite submitting reports to the UK Hate Inquiry (click here) and Islamophobia Inquiry (click here), the bravery of those who spoke up seemingly went unheard.

As a group, Juliet affirmed their commitment to remaining vigilant in advocating for measures that uphold both national security and the humanitarian principles fundamental to society.