Man goes on trial accused of encouraging two boys to flog themselves during Muslim ceremony in Britain

Man goes on trial accused of encouraging two boys to flog themselves during Muslim ceremony in Britain

A devout Muslim ordered two boys to flog themselves until their backs bled during a religious ceremony, a court has heard.

In a British legal first, Syed Mustafa Zaidi went on trial for child cruelty after allegedly making the pair flagellate themselves with a bladed whip, as part of a ritual that is centuries old.

Shia Ashura Ceremony (Daily Mail)

Zaidi, 44, was taking part in the Ashura ceremony, in Manchester, in which Shia Muslims draw blood by flogging themselves with a whip called a zanjeer.

The participants were told that under-16s were barred from taking part under English law. But Zaidi allegedly told two boys, one 13 and the other 15, to flog themselves.

Both required hospital treatment, police were called and Zaidi was arrested.

Bookmark, Share, or Email This Page

Comment

Read Another Article

‘Model’ pupil secretly studied ways of wiping out non-Muslims
RNB QuickLinks: Atheists, Reverend Magdalen, Satanic Bikinis, Bibles, Scientology Whistleblowers, and BB King

Related News Articles Topic(s): Islam Related Tags / Keywords: Ashura • Islam • islamic • islamic extremism • Islamism • muslim • muslims You Might Like These Articles As Well Belgium court charges six people in deadly exorcism of Muslim woman Malaysian Newspaper Apologizes for Changing Anti-Scientology Speech Into Anti-Islam Speech Bible School, Church Buildings Attacked in Sudan Muslim Assailants in Egypt Escape Prosecution Pakistani Woman Accused of ‘Blasphemy’ Illegally Held in Jail Religion News Roundup, Monday, April 9, 2012 Court in Egypt Sentences Young Christian for ‘Insulting Islam’ Islamic extremists detained in France planned to kidnap Jewish judge Islamists in Egypt Use Rumors to Attack Christians Doctors Try to Save Remaining Eye of Ugandan Pastor After Acid Attack Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Islam

Search Religion News Blog