Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Authorities are investigating claims involving sexual abuse, forced marriage, and modern slavery linked to a religious community based in Cheshire. This inquiry follows police raids on Wednesday morning, where ten individuals were detained amid a large operation involving around 500 officers. The targeted properties are associated with members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (Arpol), and the case centers on allegations from a woman formerly belonging to the group.
The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light was established in the early 2000s by followers of Shia Islam, though its beliefs have been rejected by mainstream Shiism. Approximately 150 people live at Webb House in Crewe, the group’s principal location, which was one of the sites searched by police. Law enforcement also conducted raids at two additional properties connected to Arpol, with Cheshire Police leading the operation and receiving support from Europol and other agencies. Officers remain at these locations, carrying out further investigations.
Initially, police indicated that nine suspects were held in custody, but later clarified that ten people—comprising seven men and three women—have been arrested. The arrests include a diverse group of individuals of various nationalities and ages, all suspected of involvement in offenses related to modern slavery, sexual assault, forced marriage, or combinations thereof. Some of those arrested are believed to be Mexican, British, Italian, American, Spanish, German, Swedish, and Egyptian nationals. Alongside the main investigation, thirteen other people were also detained on public order charges unrelated to the criminal allegations.
The police inquiry was triggered last month when information came to light about offenses said to have occurred during 2023, focusing specifically on one woman who was a member of Arpol at the time. Onlookers, who are believed to be connected to the group, gathered outside Middlewich police station following the arrests. Speaking about the ongoing investigation, law enforcement emphasized their commitment to gathering all available evidence, including sharing relevant video material.
The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light has distinct origins, self-identifying with Shia Islam but diverging significantly from traditional Shiism. It should not be confused with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a separate and widely recognized religious movement in the UK. According to Dr. Sarah Harvey, a senior research officer at the educational charity Inform affiliated with King’s College London, Arpol claims to be a new religious movement with “their own specific beliefs and practices.” She noted that the group started in Egypt, later relocating to Germany, then Sweden, and finally settling in Crewe around 2021, where they purchased Webb House as their base of operations
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.