Man guilty of murdering five children and three adults in Huddersfield house fire
Written by News on 07/08/2019
A man who went on the run has finally faced justice after being found guilty of murdering eight people in a house fire 17 years ago.
Shahid Mohammed, 37, killed five children and three adults from the Chishti family in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in May 2002.
He is said to have targeted one member of the family, Mohammed Ateeq-ur-Rehman, 18, for playing an “active part” in helping prolong a relationship he disapproved of between his sister and another man.
Jurors at Leeds Crown Court heard how petrol bombs were launched at the house on Osborne Road while extra petrol was poured inside and ignited.
It followed a grudge that Mohammed had “pursued vigorously,” prosecutors said.
Mohammed Ateeq-ur-Rehman died in the house blaze on 12 May 2002, alongside seven members of his family.
Shahid Mohammed was questioned by police but fled to Pakistan before a trial in 2003 in which three other people were convicted.
Shaied Iqbal, then 26, was convicted for murder, while Shakiel Shazad and Nazar Hussain, then 23 and 24, were convicted for manslaughter.
Mohammed was eventually tracked down and arrested in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in 2015, and extradited to the UK in 2018.
He denied murder and said he had acted as a lookout for his companions, believing the original plan was only to petrol bomb a car.
His lawyer claimed Iqbal had masterminded the attack as revenge against Mohammed Ateeq-ur-Rehman for interfering in his love life.
But prosecutors said the attack was “carefully planned”, with Shahid Mohammed asking Iqbal after driving away: “Did you see the way it went up?”
Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Wallen said he was “absolutely overjoyed” at the guilty verdicts, following years of “relentless” investigation.
He added: “This incident remains the biggest single event of multiple murders that West Yorkshire Police has investigated.
“Since 2002, the Chishti family has shown nothing but dignity throughout this unimaginable tragedy for their family.”
Mohammed Shafique, a survivor of the fire, said the family was “naturally pleased” but “this is not going to bring back our loved ones”.
He added: “I hope he gets a long prison sentence and I hope he doesn’t see the light of day.”
Shahid Mohammed is due to be sentenced on Wednesday.
(c) Sky News 2019: Man guilty of murdering five children and three adults in Huddersfield house fire
