A man told worshippers at a mosque “in the name of Allah, you will know me” as he set them alight, a court has heard.

Mohammed Abbkr, who set light to elderly worshippers who had just left mosques in London and Birmingham, has been convicted of two counts of attempted murder.

He was remanded in custody until later this month after being found guilty on Monday by majority 11-1 verdicts of trying to kill Hashi Odowa, 82, and Mohammed Rayaz, 70, in February and March this year.

A two-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court was told that Abbkr, who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, told his first victim: “I swear in the name of Allah, in the name of God, you will know me.”

Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours over two days before returning guilty verdicts, having been asked to consider whether Abbkr should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

 

The trial was told that he used a lighter and petrol in a water bottle to set fire to Mr Odowa and Mr Rayaz on Feb 27 and Mar 20.

Abbkr, who came to the UK from Sudan in 2017 seeking asylum and was granted leave to remain two years later, denied two counts of attempted murder and two alternative counts of maliciously administering a destructive thing to endanger life.

The 29-year-old, from Edgbaston, was assisted in the dock by an Arabic interpreter as he was found guilty.

Mr Odowa suffered minor burn injuries to his ear and hand after being set on fire as he made his way to a neighbour’s car outside West Ealing Islamic Centre in west London.

Mr Rayaz suffered serious burn injuries, particularly to his head, in Edgbaston, and was treated in hospital for a number of weeks.