Inquiry finds 'serious blunder' in Islamic State-inspired killing of Rochdale imam

Jalal Uddin, 71, a widely respected religious leader, was killed with a hammer in a Rochdale park on February 18, 2016, by 24-year-old Mohammed Kadir. Uddin had practised ruqyah, a form of Islamic spiritual healing considered by Islamic State extremists to be “black magic”.

Following the attack, Kadir fled to Syria. His getaway driver, Mohammed Syeedy, then 21, a former Manchester United steward and charity worker from Rochdale, was later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

A third man, Mohammed Syadul Hussain, was jailed for five years for assisting Kadir in leaving the UK days after the murder. Hussain had previously come under police scrutiny after his eight-year-old nephew made comments at school about wanting to join the Taliban.

The inquiry, led by His Honour Thomas Teague KC, involved both public and private hearings to protect national security. A public report has now been published, alongside a classified version that remains confidential.

The findings revealed that all three individuals convicted in connection with the killing had previously been known to police. Mohammed Kadir had been identified by the end of October 2015 as a person of "high risk and significant concern" by Counter Terrorism Police.

By December 10, 2015, a need for a targeted investigation into his activities had been recognised. However, the necessary steps to establish such an investigation — including the appointment of a senior investigating officer (SIO) — were not taken.

While a potential SIO was identified within the North West Counter Terrorism Unit (NWCTU), procedural delays meant the officer was not placed in a position to carry out the role. The specific reasons for this were not disclosed in the public report.

Judge Teague stated: “My conclusion is that this failure, the detailed consequences of which I have traced in my closed report, amounted to a serious blunder that led to the loss of two opportunities to detect or disrupt the activities of Kadir and Syeedy before Mr Uddin was murdered. Above all, I extend my condolences to Mr Uddin’s family and friends.”

The report confirmed that Uddin was targeted because of his practice of *ruqyah*, which the attackers considered blasphemous. The murder was intended as a warning to others engaging in similar practices.

The inquiry also identified failings in earlier investigations. A former detective inspector, Frank Morris, who retired from Greater Manchester Police in 2021, told the inquiry that an investigation into Hussain had been closed prematurely two years before the murder.

Two key opportunities to intervene were missed. The first involved Kadir’s Facebook posts from September 2015, which police had obtained but did not review prior to the killing. In the posts, Kadir referred to imams such as Mr Uddin as “dirty kufr people,” and spoke of plans to “paralyse them,” asking for prayers “that we do not get caught.”

The second opportunity involved intelligence received one month before the murder indicating that Kadir had access to extremist materials, including bomb-making instructions and other jihadist content. The report concluded that further police actions at that stage could have uncovered or disrupted the plot.

“The failure to make a prompt and effective appointment of an SIO thus led to the irretrievable loss of opportunities which, had they been acted upon, might have prevented the murder of Jalal Uddin,” the report stated.

Kadir, a former call-centre worker from Oldham, remains unaccounted for and is believed to have travelled to Syria. His current status is unknown. Syeedy continues to serve his life sentence. During his trial, the court heard that both he and Kadir had developed a deep hatred for Mr Uddin after aligning themselves with Islamic State ideology.

Mr Uddin, a father of seven originally from Bangladesh, was described as a “gentle, well-respected man.” His funeral in Rochdale was attended by around 2,000 members of the local community.