71-Year-Old Imam Leads Violent Attack on Rival Family...

A 71-YEAR-OLD mosque leader and his 67-year-old wife took part in a violent attack on a rival family in massive street brawl, a court heard.

Nadir Khan, president of the New Medina Mosque, and other members of his family, attacked Mohammed Iqbal Khan and his family on August 7, 2009, Bolton Crown Court was told yesterday.

A jury heard that Nadir Khan’s family, referred to as the Marlborough Street group, were armed with baseball bats, cricket bats and a car steering wheel lock.

The 10 defendants are all charged with violent disorder and a variety of other offences, all of which have been denied.

The families attend the same mosque and have a long standing grievance towards each other, the jury was told.

Shahzad Bahadar, known as Razaq, who, the Crown say, was the leader of the Marlborough group, contacted Mohammed Iqbal Khan’s brother, Mazhar, and asked them to come and sort out their differences as Ramadan was near and they could start with a clean slate.

But when they arrived, there were 20 to 25 Asian men in the street armed with weapons and violence broke out.

Peter Barr, prosecuting, said: “It is the Crown’s case that this is a most serious case of a pre-planned ambush, violent disorder.

“Weapons were carried, weapons were used and people were seriously hurt.”

The court heard that victim Munawar Khan suffered a broken hand and had to have a metal rod inserted after being attacked with the steering wheel lock by Razaq.

He was also hit on the head with a baseball bat by Ayaaz Khan, which resulted in a big lump next to his left eye.

Those two defendants then moved on to Mukhtar Khan. Razaq hit him with the lock on his back and shoulder, and Ayaaz Khan hit him across the left eye with the bat. The victim was taken to hospital and had four stitches and was left with black eyes and bruising.

Mohammed Iqbal Khan was attacked by Majid Dad, who had a baseball bat, and Khushleem Arshad, who had a black stick. Both aimed for Mr Khan’s head, but he managed to deflect the blows, said Mr Barr.

Nadir Khan struck him on the head with a baseball bat, the jury was told. Mr Khan fell to the ground and suffered a head wound which required six stitches.

Nadir Khan then attacked Ilyas Khan with a cricket bat and he needed eight stitches, the prosecution say.

Tahir Iqbal was struck with a bat by Ayaaz Khan, but managed to run away to a car park.

There, he was attacked by another man and, as he tried to get up, Dad allegedly threw a large concrete slab at him.

Mr Iqbal thought he was going to be killed, but he managed to turn away and the slab hit him on the back of the head, causing cuts. Inayat Khan, Nadir Khan’s wife, is alleged to have attacked Ilyas Khan’s sister as she tried to calm the situation.