Mohammed Abbkr Sentenced to Indefinite Hospital Order for Mosque Fire Attacks in London
In a chilling sequence of events, Mohammed Abbkr, a 29-year-old with paranoid schizophrenia, perpetrated two heinous attacks outside mosques in London and Birmingham. His victims, Hashi Odowa, 82, and Mohammed Rayaz, 70, endured unimaginable suffering as Abbkr doused them with petrol and set them alight. These despicable acts of violence left the older men not only with severe physical injuries but also inflicted deep psychological scars.
Abbkr’s delusions led him to believe that his victims were part of an evil group controlling him through magic. This distorted perception fueled his terrifying assaults, carried out with callous disregard for human life. His conviction in November, with majority verdicts of 11-1, underscored the gravity of his actions and the lasting impact on his victims.
During sentencing, Judge Melbourne Inman KC emphasized the deliberate nature of Abbkr’s attacks, describing them as horrific. He noted that Abbkr’s choice of victims appeared arbitrary to any rational observer, yet they were perceived threats to him. Acknowledging Abbkr’s severe mental illness, the judge imposed an indefinite hospital order, recognizing the need for psychiatric treatment.
Abbkr’s modus operandi was disturbingly consistent. He mingled with worshippers inside the mosques before lying in wait for his unsuspecting victims outside. He sprayed them with petrol from a concealed water bottle before igniting the fuel with a lighter. The randomness of his attacks compounded the terror inflicted upon his victims.
The first assault occurred on February 27, 2023, outside the West Ealing Islamic Centre in London, where Abbkr targeted Hashi Odowa. Just weeks later, on March 20, he struck again outside the Dudley Road Mosque in Birmingham, setting Mohammed Rayaz ablaze. The geographical separation of the attacks underscores Abbkr’s indiscriminate selection of victims and his willingness to inflict harm regardless of location.
Abbkr’s journey to the UK from Sudan in 2017, seeking asylum and subsequently granted leave to remain two years later, took a dark turn as his mental health deteriorated. Despite his admission to setting his victims on fire, the jury grappled with determining his intent and awareness of his actions’ wrongfulness. His paranoid delusions clouded his judgment, leading to senseless violence and profound suffering.
The sentence handed down to Abbkr reflects the complex intersection of mental illness and criminal responsibility. While justice has been served by imposing an indefinite hospital order, it cannot undo the irreparable harm inflicted upon Hashi Odowa and Mohammed Rayaz. Their resilience in the face of such barbarity serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit in overcoming adversity.
As society grapples with the complexities of mental health and its intersection with the criminal justice system, the case of Mohammed Abbkr serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support and intervention. Only through proactive measures can we hope to prevent tragedies of this nature and foster a safer, more compassionate society for all.
