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Boys 'flogged' in Muslim ritual Boys 'flogged' in Muslim ritual
(20 minutes later)
A man whipped himself until he bled during a Muslim religious ceremony before allegedly forcing two boys to do the same, a court has heard. A man whipped himself until he bled during a Muslim religious ceremony before allegedly forcing two teenage boys to do the same, a court has heard.
Manchester Crown Court was played a film which showed Syed Mustafa Zaidi, 44, beating himself with a zanjeer zani - a whip made of knives and chains. Syed Mustafa Zaidi, 44, is accused of encouraging the boys, aged 13 and 15, to beat themselves at a community centre in Manchester on 19 January.
Mr Zaidi denies charges of child cruelty for making two teenagers take part in the ritual in Manchester. Manchester Crown Court was played a film showing Mr Zaidi beating himself with a whip made of knives and chains.
Mr Zaidi, of Station Road, Eccles, denies two counts of child cruelty.
It is the first case of its kind ever to be prosecuted in the UK.It is the first case of its kind ever to be prosecuted in the UK.
The incident took place at a community centre in Levenshulme, in January. 'Multiple lacerations'
Self-flagellation The 20-minute video shown to the court showed the Shia Muslim Ashura ceremony in Levenshulme, with Mr Zaidi bare-chested among a crowd of about 150 men, chanting and singing.
Mr Zaidi, of Station Road in Eccles, Salford, was seen in the 20-minute video bare-chested among a crowd of about 150 men chanting and singing before he whipped himself. He then used the whip - called a zanjeer zani - on himself.
The court heard it was a ritual some Shia Muslim men took part in, in memory of the suffering of Imam Ali Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad, who fought against tyrannical rule and was beheaded. Participants at the men-only event take it in turns, in small groups, to flog themselves, while the crowd around them chant the name of Husayn, a central figure in the Shia faith whose death they are commemorating.
It is deemed acceptable for adult men to take part in self-flagellation but the police say is it illegal for children. The film played to the court also showed the 13-year-old boy, who Zaidi is accused of forcing, flogging himself with the zanjeer zani.
But some members of the Shia Muslim community say they will not discourage a child if he wants to participate. Prosecutors said the 15-year-old boy, who is not seen in the film but was allegedly forced to take part in the ceremony, suffered multiple lacerations to his back and shoulders, including a wound measuring up to a centimetre long.
The case continues.The case continues.