ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Members of New Mexico’s Muslim group driven Thursday for the Afghan refugee suspected of killing 4 Muslim males to stay at the back of bars pending trial – mentioning earlier accusations of home violence and video surveillance that seemed to display him slashing the tires of a automobile parked out of doors the native mosque.
The video from early 2020 had induced leaders of the Islamic Center of New Mexico on the time to admonish Muhammad Syed and inform him no longer to go back to the mosque.
The girl whose tires had been slashed by no means went to the police and costs had been by no means filed, mentioned Ahmad Assed, the Islamic heart’s president.
But just about two years later, her brother-in-law was one of the most sufferers. Muhammad Zahir Ahmadi used to be fatally shot closing November at the back of the marketplace he owned together with his brother.
Police have named Syed, 51, as the main suspect in Ahmadi’s demise and within the deadly capturing of every other guy in early August. Authorities have already got charged him with two counts of homicide within the deaths of 2 different Muslim males in fresh weeks.
Syed used to be detained this week and is scheduled to look in courtroom Monday, when a state pass judgement on will believe a movement by way of prosecutors looking for to detain Syed with out bond pending trial. Prosecutors have argued that Syed is unhealthy and that no prerequisites of liberate will make sure the group’s protection.
Syed denied any connection to the crimes that shook the town and its small Muslim group after he used to be arrested right through a site visitors forestall, announcing he used to be heading to Houston to discover a new house for his circle of relatives over worry concerning the killings.
His public defenders declined remark at the case Thursday with the exception of to mention that they had been reviewing proof and getting ready for Monday’s listening to.
“Given the extent of media consideration, we want to be very cautious not to let this example be attempted within the public discussion board and no longer a courtroom of legislation,” mentioned Tom Clark, certainly one of Syed’s state appointed lawyers.
Assed and different contributors of the town’s Muslim group mentioned they had been operating with legislation enforcement to take a look at to stay Syed in custody.
Despite police announcing private conflicts could be a part of the cause for the killings, Assed mentioned in an interview that Muslims are suffering to know why the lads who had been killed had been focused and that the killings raised questions and considerations about whether or not extra assaults have been deliberate.
“It’s undoubtedly our worry for this group as we transfer ahead and it’s a priority as a result of no longer realizing extra concerning the cause, we’re at a drawback in figuring out whether or not that used to be what used to be deliberate, that used to be it, or whether or not extra sufferers had been at the radar,” Assed mentioned.
Syed used to be arrested past due Monday greater than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from his Albuquerque house. He informed government he used to be on his technique to Texas, mentioning the ambush-style killings as his worry. The first killing in November used to be adopted by way of 3 between July 26 and Aug. 5.
According to a prison criticism, police decided that bullet casings present in Syed’s automobile matched the caliber of the guns believed to were utilized in two of the killings and that casings discovered on the crime scenes had been connected to weapons discovered at Syed’s house and in his automobile.
Police mentioned they gained greater than 200 guidelines and one from the Muslim group that led them to the Syed circle of relatives. Syed knew the sufferers, government have mentioned.
Syed has lived within the United States for approximately 5 years. When interviewed by way of detectives, Syed mentioned he had fought in opposition to the Taliban, consistent with a prison criticism filed in courtroom Tuesday.
He lived in an rental in Albuquerque with members of the family who informed newshounds that he used to be a truck driving force however hadn’t labored for an organization in a very long time.
Court paperwork display the home violence allegations Syed used to be accused of concerned separate altercations together with his spouse, a son and his long run son-in-law. The circumstances had been brushed aside for the reason that sufferers declined to press fees.
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