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Leicester fire deaths: Five people questioned by police | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Five people are being questioned by police about a suspected arson attack which killed a mother and her three teenage children in Leicester. | |
The fire took hold in the early hours of Friday at their home in Wood Hill. | |
Detectives said they could not rule out a link to the death of a man in a street attack nearby, hours earlier. | Detectives said they could not rule out a link to the death of a man in a street attack nearby, hours earlier. |
Three women and two men were arrested on Saturday over the fire but one of the men has been released. An 18-year-old man was arrested on Sunday night. | |
He remains in police custody. | |
A 19-year-old man is being held in police custody over the fatal attack. Two 19-year-old women arrested in connection with the attack which led to the death of Antoin Akpom have been released without charge. | |
Mr Akpom died after an assault on Thursday in Kent Street, about a mile from Wood Hill. | Mr Akpom died after an assault on Thursday in Kent Street, about a mile from Wood Hill. |
'Very supportive' | 'Very supportive' |
The people who died in the house fire have been named by the local mosque as Shehnila Taufiq, her teenage sons Jamal and Bilal and daughter Zainab, 19. | The people who died in the house fire have been named by the local mosque as Shehnila Taufiq, her teenage sons Jamal and Bilal and daughter Zainab, 19. |
Firefighters found them dead in upstairs bedrooms. | Firefighters found them dead in upstairs bedrooms. |
Police said that, while they were investigating a possible link between the deaths, there was no evidence anyone who lived in the house was involved in the street attack. | Police said that, while they were investigating a possible link between the deaths, there was no evidence anyone who lived in the house was involved in the street attack. |
Three women, aged 27, 20 and 19, and two men, aged 49 and 19, were arrested on Saturday afternoon. The 19-year-old man was released without charge on Sunday evening. | |
Police were granted extra time by magistrates to hold the remaining four for questioning, meaning detectives have five people in custody. | |
At least 1,000 Muslim women have attended special prayers for the dead mother and her daughter, in the women's section of Jame Mosque, where the family worshipped. | At least 1,000 Muslim women have attended special prayers for the dead mother and her daughter, in the women's section of Jame Mosque, where the family worshipped. |
On Saturday, prayers were held for Jamal and Bilal at the same mosque, which has declared three days of mourning. | On Saturday, prayers were held for Jamal and Bilal at the same mosque, which has declared three days of mourning. |
Dr Muhammad Taufiq Al Sattar, the husband and father of the victims, spoke outside the mosque on Saturday and said he "deeply missed" his "beautiful wife and children". | Dr Muhammad Taufiq Al Sattar, the husband and father of the victims, spoke outside the mosque on Saturday and said he "deeply missed" his "beautiful wife and children". |
"The people of Leicester have been very supportive," Dr Taufiq Al Sattar, a neurosurgeon who works in Dublin, said. | "The people of Leicester have been very supportive," Dr Taufiq Al Sattar, a neurosurgeon who works in Dublin, said. |
"I'm also thankful to the Jame Mosque. They made me feel that, despite losing my immediate entire family, the entire community in Leicester is family to me. Thank you very much." | "I'm also thankful to the Jame Mosque. They made me feel that, despite losing my immediate entire family, the entire community in Leicester is family to me. Thank you very much." |
'My best friend' | 'My best friend' |
Tributes have been paid to Mr Akpom, a coach and former player at Leicester Nirvana FC, by family and friends. | Tributes have been paid to Mr Akpom, a coach and former player at Leicester Nirvana FC, by family and friends. |
The club held a minute's silence at games on Saturday and Sunday. | The club held a minute's silence at games on Saturday and Sunday. |
His sister Lianne Murray said Mr Akpom had planned to train as a teacher and worked at Sparkenhoe Primary School in Leicester. | His sister Lianne Murray said Mr Akpom had planned to train as a teacher and worked at Sparkenhoe Primary School in Leicester. |
"He was my baby brother, he was my best friend, and my right arm," she added. | "He was my baby brother, he was my best friend, and my right arm," she added. |
Detectives have carried out house-to-house enquires in both cases and continue to appeal for witnesses. | Detectives have carried out house-to-house enquires in both cases and continue to appeal for witnesses. |
Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, said the whole city was "grief stricken". | Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, said the whole city was "grief stricken". |
"Five innocent people have lost their lives in Leicester over the last few days, the whole city is in shock," he added. | "Five innocent people have lost their lives in Leicester over the last few days, the whole city is in shock," he added. |
Meanwhile, the community has been pulling together to support each other and the families. | Meanwhile, the community has been pulling together to support each other and the families. |
The nearby St Peter's Church in Highfields held special prayers for everyone involved and opened its doors for people of all faiths and none. | The nearby St Peter's Church in Highfields held special prayers for everyone involved and opened its doors for people of all faiths and none. |
Ted Cassidy, from the church, said: "We tolled the bell for 10 minutes and we had a small group of the congregation of St Peter's spending an hour in silent prayer. | Ted Cassidy, from the church, said: "We tolled the bell for 10 minutes and we had a small group of the congregation of St Peter's spending an hour in silent prayer. |
"It was a really spiritually powerful hour where we were praying for the Taufiq family and also for Antoin." | "It was a really spiritually powerful hour where we were praying for the Taufiq family and also for Antoin." |