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'Open outpouring of grief' in home town of Britain's youngest suicide bomber 'Open outpouring of grief' in home town of Britain's youngest suicide bomber
(about 2 hours later)
In the mill town streets where Talha Asmal grew up, the only sound on Monday was of children playing happily outside Savile Town infant and nursery school, blissfully unaware of the fate of the “normal Yorkshire lad” who became Britain’s youngest suicide bomber.In the mill town streets where Talha Asmal grew up, the only sound on Monday was of children playing happily outside Savile Town infant and nursery school, blissfully unaware of the fate of the “normal Yorkshire lad” who became Britain’s youngest suicide bomber.
Aged 17, Asmal was barely a decade older than the children in the playground around the corner from his modest terrace house in Dewsbury, where a stream of grieving friends and relatives arrived on Monday to pay their respects. One even offered to make cups of tea for the television cameramen massed on their doorstep.Aged 17, Asmal was barely a decade older than the children in the playground around the corner from his modest terrace house in Dewsbury, where a stream of grieving friends and relatives arrived on Monday to pay their respects. One even offered to make cups of tea for the television cameramen massed on their doorstep.
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Many of his neighbours were too grief-stricken to speak. Hours earlier, as news of the teenager’s death filtered through, some had been crying in the street in what the local MP, Paula Sherriff, described as an open outpouring of grief.Many of his neighbours were too grief-stricken to speak. Hours earlier, as news of the teenager’s death filtered through, some had been crying in the street in what the local MP, Paula Sherriff, described as an open outpouring of grief.
She said: “People are in a state of shock and devastation. It’s a tragedy for so many people.” Huddled in small groups outside the Mullaco mini-market, around the corner from Asmal’s house, local people tried to come to terms with how a football-loving A-level student could fall into the clutches of Islamic State (Isis) with barely anyone noticing. It is a question that is bewildering Britain’s intelligence services, as well as those who grew up with Asmal.She said: “People are in a state of shock and devastation. It’s a tragedy for so many people.” Huddled in small groups outside the Mullaco mini-market, around the corner from Asmal’s house, local people tried to come to terms with how a football-loving A-level student could fall into the clutches of Islamic State (Isis) with barely anyone noticing. It is a question that is bewildering Britain’s intelligence services, as well as those who grew up with Asmal.
One childhood friend, Anees Mahmood, 24, said he had seen Asmal only a week before he disappeared. He had been walking down the street with Hassan Munshi, Asmal’s next-door neighbour with whom he travelled to Iraq. As ever, he looked like an ordinary lad enjoying his teenage years, Mahmood added.One childhood friend, Anees Mahmood, 24, said he had seen Asmal only a week before he disappeared. He had been walking down the street with Hassan Munshi, Asmal’s next-door neighbour with whom he travelled to Iraq. As ever, he looked like an ordinary lad enjoying his teenage years, Mahmood added.
He said: “It’s just really sad what happened. It feels so unimaginable for something like this to have happened, it’s like he’s just going to turn up – I know it might be mad but I don’t believe what has happened.He said: “It’s just really sad what happened. It feels so unimaginable for something like this to have happened, it’s like he’s just going to turn up – I know it might be mad but I don’t believe what has happened.
“I’ve known his family all my life and they’re from a British cultural background as well so you wouldn’t expect anything like that,” he said.“I’ve known his family all my life and they’re from a British cultural background as well so you wouldn’t expect anything like that,” he said.
It is not the first time Savile Town has been in the headlines for its links to Islamist extremism. Hassan’s brother, Hammaad Munshi, was 16 when he was arrested by counter-terrorism police in 2006 and later became Britain’s youngest convicted Islamist extremist. This West Yorkshire town was also home to Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the 7/7 attacks on London in July 2005.It is not the first time Savile Town has been in the headlines for its links to Islamist extremism. Hassan’s brother, Hammaad Munshi, was 16 when he was arrested by counter-terrorism police in 2006 and later became Britain’s youngest convicted Islamist extremist. This West Yorkshire town was also home to Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the 7/7 attacks on London in July 2005.
The narrow warren of streets where Asmal grew up are also some of the most segregated in Britain. The vast majority, 98.7%, of the close-knit local population are of south Asian descent and there are only 14 white people, according to the 2011 national census. Most of the local mosques follow the ultra-conservative Deobandi tradition, including the Zakaria mosque, which is a short walk from Asmal’s home. The narrow streets where Asmal grew up also some of the most segregated in Britain. The vast majority, 98.7%, of the close-knit local population are of south Asian descent and there are only 14 white people, according to the 2011 national census. Most of the local mosques follow the ultra-conservative Deobandi tradition, including the Zakaria mosque, which is a short walk from Asmal’s home.
Related: Dewsbury in 'utter shock' over Talha Asmal's death in Iraq suicide bombingRelated: Dewsbury in 'utter shock' over Talha Asmal's death in Iraq suicide bombing
Worshippers at the mosque, where the Munshi and Asmal families pray, were reluctant to talk to the media on Monday. One man, asked whether he was surprised that anyone would want to join Isis, said only: “Yeah, it’s a shock. It’s not peaceful.” Two teenagers, who looked about Asmal’s age, flatly refused to talk to reporters. One said: “I’m not speaking to you.”Worshippers at the mosque, where the Munshi and Asmal families pray, were reluctant to talk to the media on Monday. One man, asked whether he was surprised that anyone would want to join Isis, said only: “Yeah, it’s a shock. It’s not peaceful.” Two teenagers, who looked about Asmal’s age, flatly refused to talk to reporters. One said: “I’m not speaking to you.”
Amid the anger directed at Isis, there is a simmering resentment among some in the local Muslim community that they are being wrongly linked to jihadi militants in Syria and Iraq.Amid the anger directed at Isis, there is a simmering resentment among some in the local Muslim community that they are being wrongly linked to jihadi militants in Syria and Iraq.
“These people, Isis, who call themselves Muslim, shouldn’t be allowed to call themselves Muslims. They’re no religion at all. They are terrorists,” said a local councillor, Mumtaz Hussain, who called on the media to stop describing Isis as Islamist terrorists and instead refer to them as terrorists. He added: “People are very, very upset. They will tell you we don’t want anything to do with these people because they are not Muslim.”“These people, Isis, who call themselves Muslim, shouldn’t be allowed to call themselves Muslims. They’re no religion at all. They are terrorists,” said a local councillor, Mumtaz Hussain, who called on the media to stop describing Isis as Islamist terrorists and instead refer to them as terrorists. He added: “People are very, very upset. They will tell you we don’t want anything to do with these people because they are not Muslim.”
Hussain said he had encouraged worshippers in local mosques to keep an eye on what their children were doing online following concerns raised by Asmal’s parents that their son was radicalised through social media.Hussain said he had encouraged worshippers in local mosques to keep an eye on what their children were doing online following concerns raised by Asmal’s parents that their son was radicalised through social media.
Both Hussain and Sherriff insist Savile Town does not have an Islamist extremism problem. Yet both agree that much more needs to be done to protect impressionable young people from being radicalised online by Isis recruiters.Both Hussain and Sherriff insist Savile Town does not have an Islamist extremism problem. Yet both agree that much more needs to be done to protect impressionable young people from being radicalised online by Isis recruiters.
Sherriff said: “Obviously Savile Town has a large Asian population so there will be the inevitable suggestions that it is just in Savile Town, but if anyone looks they will see there are thousands of people who have gone to fight for Isis and as far as we are aware only two are from Savile Town.Sherriff said: “Obviously Savile Town has a large Asian population so there will be the inevitable suggestions that it is just in Savile Town, but if anyone looks they will see there are thousands of people who have gone to fight for Isis and as far as we are aware only two are from Savile Town.
“There is some anger that this young man had been manipulated and groomed to the extent that he’s gone out there and done this. I don’t think anyone would condone what he’d done in terms of going to Iraq and blowing himself up and killing other people, but he’s been indoctrinated, he’s been brainwashed.“There is some anger that this young man had been manipulated and groomed to the extent that he’s gone out there and done this. I don’t think anyone would condone what he’d done in terms of going to Iraq and blowing himself up and killing other people, but he’s been indoctrinated, he’s been brainwashed.
“Everybody is accountable: schools, community leaders, politicians, mosques, churches, the councillors – anybody who comes into contact with young people who may be susceptible to radicalisation. I don’t want to lose any more people to this.”“Everybody is accountable: schools, community leaders, politicians, mosques, churches, the councillors – anybody who comes into contact with young people who may be susceptible to radicalisation. I don’t want to lose any more people to this.”
Once the television cameras have disappeared, Dewsbury will once again be left to come to terms with a local tragedy that made global headlines.Once the television cameras have disappeared, Dewsbury will once again be left to come to terms with a local tragedy that made global headlines.
“We’ve had so many issues – with Shannon Matthews, the 7/7 guy – but the community is very, very strong and we have come out of things like that,” Hussain said. “It’s unfortunate it’s happened again in Dewsbury – it shouldn’t have – but we will pull through.”“We’ve had so many issues – with Shannon Matthews, the 7/7 guy – but the community is very, very strong and we have come out of things like that,” Hussain said. “It’s unfortunate it’s happened again in Dewsbury – it shouldn’t have – but we will pull through.”