A SUICIDE-BOMBING attack in Iraq – alleged to have been carried out by a Derby father – has been branded an "act of cowardice, barbarism and evil" by the leader of Derby City Council
Ranjit Banwait said the "aspirations and ambitions" of Kabir Ahmed's family have been left "shattered and devastated by this act of tragedy", following his reported death north of Baghdad on Friday.
Ahmed, formerly of Madeley Street, Normanton, fled to fight for the terrorist group Islamic State, or IS, around a year ago.
Reports say the 30-year-old died in northern Iraq on Friday.
They claim he was killed in a blast during which a truck laden with explosives was driven into a convoy of police in the town of Baiji, north of Baghdad.
Mr Banwait, who grew up in Normanton, said: "This is an act of cowardice, barbarism and evil by this individual which has no place in any society.
"It has been brought about by an ideology prompted by evil and this must be dealt with.
"When this individual's family originally came to this country, they would have had ambitions and aspirations and this person has left that shattered and devastated by this act of tragedy.
"I believe the community, as a whole, has a collective responsibility to work with the authorities, community leaders and councillors to identify vulnerable people in a similar position to this individual at an early stage, to eradicate it happening again."
The blast killed Lt Gen Faisal Malik Zamel, who was inspecting forces in the town, and seven other police officers – while wounding 15 people, hospital staff and police officers.
It comes as the US confirmed it conducted a series of air strikes targeting IS leaders in the north of the country, although it was not known whether IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was among those targeted.
Margaret Beckett – the MP for Derby South, which covers the part of the city where Ahmed formerly lived – said: "This has come as news to me and very sad news at that.
"I felt very sorry in the first instance for learning that he went to fight with people who commit these terrible atrocities.
"And I feel sorry for his family that this has happened to him – and that he was misled by the people who he chose to go and fight with."
It was in July when Ahmed was unmasked by the Derby Telegraph as a man boasting on the BBC Panorama programme about wanting to become a suicide bomber for IS, also known as ISIS.
He appeared on the show saying he was "trying to get his name moved up the list" of potential bombers.
On the programme, he said: "Everybody has got their name on the list (to become a suicide bomber) and everyone is forcing the Amir to push their name up.
"Everyone wants to fight for the sake of Allah.
"If the British Government commits terror against our people, is unjust towards our people, kills and murders and rapes our people, then you can expect attacks on your soil.
"If you don't leave our Muslim brothers around the globe, and mind your own business, and support our enemies against us, then you can expect these attacks – and so can America and so can any other country."
In a subsequent article published by the Sunday Mirror, the newspaper claimed he left his wife and three children in Derby to go to a training camp in Syria.
That article claims Ahmed had spoken to a internet station, telling them his life with the terror group was "better than that game Call of Duty".
Yesterday, a spokesman for Derbyshire police said: "We are aware of reports of this man's death and we are working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to confirm details."
And a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it too was looking into reports of the death of a British man in Iraq.
National newspapers were yesterday quoting Shiraz Maher, a senior fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalism at King's College London – who has posted on Twitter three pictures of Ahmed, who called himself Abu Sumayyah, and claimed he was the suicide bomber.
He tweeted: "British foreign fighter, Abu Sumayyah, (real name: Kabir Ahmed) from Derby carried out a suicide bombing in Baiji, Iraq.
"British suicide bomber in Iraq, Abu Sumayyah (Kabir Ahmed) originally joined Jund al-Sham in Syria and then moved to Islamic State.
"Abu Sumayyah (Kabir Ahmed), British suicide bomber in Iraq, was 32, married, and had children."
Readers of the Derby Telegraph's online website and Facebook page expressed their thoughts on the alleged death of Ahmed.
Mark Cranage said: "Deserved all he got.
"He lived in this country, therefore should have been loyal to his country. If he then decided we're not good enough for him, then good riddance."
Sara Limbert said: "Yes it's disgusting what he did or intended to do but people need to remember he has a family too, who could be very innocent in all of this and will be grieving (after this) loss."
And Zara Adam said: "First of all, Islam does not condone bombing yourself and others. Before you judge the religion over one person's mistake, don't.
"ISIS has nothing to do with Islam either. Islam is a peaceful religion."
Prior to being radicalised, Ahmed worked for the Asian Advisory Service in Normanton, working with elderly people as a care link operator.
He attended Derby Moor School, before doing media studies at Wilmorton College in the city.
Ahmed also spent two years studying at the University of East London.
In February 2012, Ahmed was the first person in the UK to be convicted of "distributing threatening written material to stir up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation".
His 15-month sentence followed a trial which heard how he handed out leaflets outside a mosque.
These showed a mannequin hanging from a tree next to the words: "Death Penalty?" in relation to gay people.
While serving his sentence, he was convicted of holding up homophobic placards and chanting: "We hope you die of AIDS" to revellers at Derby's Gay Pride procession.
Earlier this month, the Derby Telegraph reported how police in Derbyshire had called on people to tell them if they are suspicious that anyone they know is planning on travelling to support IS.
Inspector John Booker made the plea after Tareena Shakil, of Shobnall, near Burton, went to Syria with her 14-month-old son. She took her tot into a war zone where IS was fighting Syrian and Kurdish forces for control.
