Suspect in multiple murder house fire case arrested almost 13 years later in Pakistan

A SUSPECT in a multiple murder case which saw eight members of the same family die in a house fire has been arrested - more than a decade after the crime was committed.

Shahid Mohammed has been arrested in connection with the firePA

Shahid Mohammed has been arrested in connection with the fire

Shahid Mohammed, 32, was arrested in Pakistan, according to reports, after three generations of the same family died in the blaze in Birkby, Huddersfield, in May 2002.

One man was convicted of murder and two of manslaughter following the attack on May 12, which killed five children and three adults from the Chisti family.

Mohammed was arrested in 2002 as part of the initial investigation but failed to answer bail and has been hunted by police ever since. 

Now police have announced his re-arrest after close work between UK authorities and officials abroad.

Officers are now working on bringing him back to this country.

Detective Superintendent Lisa Griffin, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We have informed members of the Chisti family of the latest development in the case, and will continue to keep them informed throughout.

"Operation Elvington has clearly been a major and long-running inquiry and I thank residents who have come forward with information over the years for their support.

"We remain utterly focused on working with the UK Foreign Office and authorities in the nation in which the 32-year-old is currently being held to bring him back to the UK to be put before a court."

Nafeesa Aziz, 35, and her daughters Tayyaba Bootall, three, Rabiah Bootall, 10, Ateeqa Nawaz, five, Aneesa Nawaz, two, and Najeebah Nawaz, six months, died in the fire which tore through the house.

Miss Aziz's brother, Mohammed Ateeq-ur-Rehman, 18, also died in the fire, and their mother, Zaib-un-Nisa, 54, died a week later in hospital.

Investigators established that the fire had been started deliberately.

Petrol had been poured through the letter box and petrol bombs thrown into the house.

In July 2003, three Huddersfield men - Shaied Iqbal, Shakiel Shazad Amir and Nazar Hussain - were convicted for their part in the crime. 

Iqbal was found guilty of eight counts of murder after a six-week trial.

Hussain was cleared of murder but convicted by a majority of ten to two of eight counts of manslaughter by the jury of seven women and five men.

Both were also found guilty of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

Amir was was convicted of eight manslaughter counts and conspiracy to commit arson. He was also convicted of arson with intent to endanger life.

Comments Unavailable

Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. However, you will find some great articles which you can comment on right now in our Comment section.

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?