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Manchester imam 'called for armed jihad' at mosque where Arena bomber prayed

Mustafa Graf, chief imam at Didsbury Mosque in Manchester - AFP
Mustafa Graf, chief imam at Didsbury Mosque in Manchester - AFP

An imam at the Manchester Arena bomber's mosque "called for jihad" 10 days before the attacker bought his ticket.  

A recording that has been found purporting to be of an imam at the mosque attended by Salman Abedi, the Manchester arena bomber, has been interpreted by scholars.

The sermon, apparently delivered at Didsbury Mosque in Manchester, was delivered on the 16th December 2016, six months before Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb killing 22 at an Ariana Grande concert in the city.

Manchester bomber Salman Abedi and his family regularly attended the mosque and his father sometimes led the call to prayer. Imam, Mustafa Graf, appears to call for military or armed jihad in the recording obtained by BBC News.

It is unclear whether Abedi – or any family members - attended the mosque on the day of the audio recording, but he is thought to have bought a ticket for the Ariana Grande concert 10 days later.

Mustafa Graf, chief imam at Didsbury Mosque in Manchester - Credit: OLI SCARFF /AFP
Mustafa Graf, chief imam at Didsbury Mosque in Manchester Credit: OLI SCARFF /AFP

After the arena bombing Didsbury Mosque called for anyone with information about the bombing to contact the police and attempted to distance itself from the attacker.

According to the BBC News at least five men who have attended prayers at the mosque have either travelled to Syria or have been jailed for terrorism offences.

The trustees said none of these men had visited Didsbury Mosque.

The sermon by Mustafa Graf, which was delivered at the time of the bombing of Aleppo, includes prayers for “Mujahideen” – a term often used for a group fighting armed jihad abroad.

CCTV shows Salman Abedi in the Manchester area in days preceding the attack on the Manchester Arena. Right: Didsbury Mosque - Credit: AFP/Paul Cousans/Zenpix
CCTV shows Salman Abedi in the Manchester area in days preceding the attack on the Manchester Arena. Right: Didsbury Mosque Credit: AFP/Paul Cousans/Zenpix

"We ask Allah to grant them Mujahideen - our brothers and sisters right now in Aleppo and Syria and Iraq - to grant them victory", he is reported to have said.

Elsewhere Graf says, “Jihad for the sake of Allah is the source of pride and dignity for this nation”, it is claimed.

In another passage he allegedly says “now it is time to act and do something”.

The sermon centres on the suffering in Syria and includes an appeal for donations, with Graf at one point saying “the whole world, including Europe, America, what is the so-called civilised world” is watching what is happening in Aleppo and Syria.

“They know that Iran, Russia and the militias are killing humans in Syria and they do nothing. Well in fact they helped Iranian, Russian and others to kill Muslims over there.”

BBC News played the audio for two Muslim scholars who said they both believe the language of the sermon represents a call for armed jihad.

"He's giving them the narrative of them against us”, says Islamic scholar Shaykh Rehan, “He is psychologically and practically brainwashing young people into either travelling or to do something to take action."

Profile | Salman Abedi
Profile | Salman Abedi

"The jihad he's referring to here is actually being on the battlefield, there's no if's and no buts in this".

"He's giving them the narrative of them against us”, he continues. “He is psychologically and practically brainwashing young people into either travelling or to do something to take action."

Usama Hasan, Head of Islamic Studies at Quilliam, agreed and told BBC News that "from the context and the way these texts [the religious passages quoted within the sermon] are used they are clearly referring to military jihad, to armed jihad".

He goes on to say, “I have known the Islamic discourse for pretty much 40 years, from being a child in this country and worldwide, and the Mujahidin are the group fighting armed jihad”.

The Telegraph contacted Didsbury Mosque but Imam Mustafa Graf was unavailable for comment.