MP who pursued racist killers to quit Commons after death threats
Saturday, 23 June 2007
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Britain's first Muslim MP is to step down at the next election after he and his family received repeated death threats over his role in bringing three racist killers to justice.
Mohammad Sarwar played a crucial part in securing the conviction of three Asian men for kidnapping, torturing and murdering the white schoolboy Kriss Donald in 2004. As a result, he has been subjected to a campaign of fear from the killers' henchmen, including threats to kill his children and grandchildren.
After months of abuse, Mr Sarwar announced yesterday that he had decided to stand down as MP for Glasgow Central at the next election to concentrate on charity work. Although he denied his surprise decision was directly linked to the death threats, he admitted his family had come under extreme pressure since he successfully negotiated the return of Kriss' killers from Pakistan.
He told the Daily Record: "They were monsters. I knew what could be the consequences for me, for my family, for my grandchildren. But I believed it was the right thing to do. Life is not the same, to be honest with you, since I brought them back. I was subjected to threats. I was told they wanted to punish my family and make a horrible example of my son they would do to him what they did to Kriss Donald. I received threats to my life, to murder my sons, to murder my grandchildren."
Kriss Donald's murder followed feuding between Asian and white gangs in inner-city Glasgow. Imram Shahid led the most ruthless group. On 16 March 2004 they went out looking for "white boys", snatching Kriss, 15, who was not involved with any gangs. They took him to a remote spot and tortured him, repeatedly stabbing him, dousing him in petrol, setting fire to him and leaving him to die.
Three of the attackers Shahid, his brother Zeeshan and Mohammed Faisal Mustaq fled to Pakistan, because there is no extradition treaty between Pakistan and Britain.
But Mr Sarwar worked for 18 months with the Pakistani authorities and eventually clinched a one-off extradition agreement. The men were sentenced to life in prison last year.
Mr Sarwar said: "The time is now right to move on. I am involved in charitable work in Glasgow and [across] Britain. I want to spend more time now helping those who are in desperate need of health and education."
Jack McConnell, the Scottish Labour Party leader, said: "Mohammad Sarwar made history and made a real difference. He and his family deserve a break; they can look back with pride on all he has achieved."
