Murdered student ‘was worried about racism’Published: Thursday, 28 August, 2008, 01:18 AM Doha Time
By Nour Abuzant
Mohamed al-Majed’s body being taken to the Abu Hamour graveyard for burial yesterday. PICTURE: Ehab
TRAGIC schoolboy Mohamed al-Majed told his parents that he feared for his safety – two weeks before he lost his life in a gang attack in the UK.
Speaking to Gulf Times, Mohamed’s older brother said: “He frequently called us to say there was mounting racism in the area and he often heard racist remarks. A fortnight ago he called our parents to say he was concerned and he talked about moving to another town.”
Mohamed, who had ambitions to join the military, died from severe head injuries on Sunday, August 24, two days after he and his friends were set upon by a gang of drunken yobs in the coastal town of Hastings.
The body of the 16-year-old, who was studying at the EF International Language School, was flown home yesterday for burial.
Speaking inside the family’s ‘condolence tent’, Mohamed’s visibly distraught father said: “I paid money to send my son to study English, but instead he returned in a coffin.”
He added that no amount of money could compensate him for the loss of his “promising son” and that he must accept the will of God.
“It is the destiny of my son,” he said. “It is the desire of God and I must respect it.”
Tens of mourners gathered to pay their respects yesterday to the boy described as “a brother to everyone”.
Among them was Abdullah, a 16-year-old maternal cousin who was with his relative the night he was fatally injured.
Looking shocked and exhausted from the ordeal, the teenager said his cousin was the innocent victim of a kebab shop fight between a South African resident and a gang of British youths.
He explained: “The scuffle moved outside of the restaurant and it seemed one of the lads involved thought Mohamed was taking the side of the African. He punched him in the face once and he fell, hitting his head on the edge of the pavement.
“I will remember this lad for the rest of my life – and I could pick him out of a parade millions.”
At first Abdullah believed his cousin had suffered only minor injuries, but the extent of the head wound soon became apparent when the teenager “started to utter words I could not understand”.
Abdullah is also adamant that if police and medical professionals had realised how badly Mohamed had been injured and acted accordingly the youngster might still be alive today.
He said: “The police who originally came to break up the fight found Mohamed lying on the floor. They put him inside their vehicle and I was kept away for half an hour.”
According to Abdullah, it took British police three hours to get the dying youngster to hospital, followed by a three-hour wait for head X-rays. Mohamed was then transferred to a London hospital for specialised treatment – after a 15-hour delay because of a lack of beds.
“The next morning it was clear that the matter was much more serious than I thought,” said Abdullah.
On Saturday, Mohamed’s father was informed of the tragedy and flew from Saudi Arabia to London to be with his son. He reached London along with Mohamed’s maternal uncle early on Sunday. Heartbreakingly, the injured youngster was shouting with pain and unable to recognise his father. Hospital staff advised the family to get a little sleep – only to wake them with the news that Mohamed had passed away.
A post-mortem found that the lively teenager – with a fondness for diving – had suffered a skull fracture.
As well as being critical of the medical care provided in the UK, Mohamed’s family have questioned the responsibility of the ‘host family’ who had allowed a 16-year-old boy to be out close to midnight.
Mohamed was one of five children – he had three brothers and one sister.
His eldest brother told Gulf Times that the teenager had been very ambitious and travelled to the UK to improve his English and “not repeat the weakness of his brothers” who had shown no flair for the language.
Another brother, aged 12, added: “I cannot imagine that Mohamed has passed away. It will take a long time before I can absorb that as a fact.”
Murdered student ‘was worried about racism’Published: Thursday, 28 August, 2008, 01:18 AM Doha Time
By Nour Abuzant
Mohamed al-Majed’s body being taken to the Abu Hamour graveyard for burial yesterday. PICTURE: Ehab
TRAGIC schoolboy Mohamed al-Majed told his parents that he feared for his safety – two weeks before he lost his life in a gang attack in the UK.
Speaking to Gulf Times, Mohamed’s older brother said: “He frequently called us to say there was mounting racism in the area and he often heard racist remarks. A fortnight ago he called our parents to say he was concerned and he talked about moving to another town.”
Mohamed, who had ambitions to join the military, died from severe head injuries on Sunday, August 24, two days after he and his friends were set upon by a gang of drunken yobs in the coastal town of Hastings.
The body of the 16-year-old, who was studying at the EF International Language School, was flown home yesterday for burial.
Speaking inside the family’s ‘condolence tent’, Mohamed’s visibly distraught father said: “I paid money to send my son to study English, but instead he returned in a coffin.”
He added that no amount of money could compensate him for the loss of his “promising son” and that he must accept the will of God.
“It is the destiny of my son,” he said. “It is the desire of God and I must respect it.”
Tens of mourners gathered to pay their respects yesterday to the boy described as “a brother to everyone”.
Among them was Abdullah, a 16-year-old maternal cousin who was with his relative the night he was fatally injured.
Looking shocked and exhausted from the ordeal, the teenager said his cousin was the innocent victim of a kebab shop fight between a South African resident and a gang of British youths.
He explained: “The scuffle moved outside of the restaurant and it seemed one of the lads involved thought Mohamed was taking the side of the African. He punched him in the face once and he fell, hitting his head on the edge of the pavement.
“I will remember this lad for the rest of my life – and I could pick him out of a parade millions.”
At first Abdullah believed his cousin had suffered only minor injuries, but the extent of the head wound soon became apparent when the teenager “started to utter words I could not understand”.
Abdullah is also adamant that if police and medical professionals had realised how badly Mohamed had been injured and acted accordingly the youngster might still be alive today.
He said: “The police who originally came to break up the fight found Mohamed lying on the floor. They put him inside their vehicle and I was kept away for half an hour.”
According to Abdullah, it took British police three hours to get the dying youngster to hospital, followed by a three-hour wait for head X-rays. Mohamed was then transferred to a London hospital for specialised treatment – after a 15-hour delay because of a lack of beds.
“The next morning it was clear that the matter was much more serious than I thought,” said Abdullah.
On Saturday, Mohamed’s father was informed of the tragedy and flew from Saudi Arabia to London to be with his son. He reached London along with Mohamed’s maternal uncle early on Sunday. Heartbreakingly, the injured youngster was shouting with pain and unable to recognise his father. Hospital staff advised the family to get a little sleep – only to wake them with the news that Mohamed had passed away.
A post-mortem found that the lively teenager – with a fondness for diving – had suffered a skull fracture.
As well as being critical of the medical care provided in the UK, Mohamed’s family have questioned the responsibility of the ‘host family’ who had allowed a 16-year-old boy to be out close to midnight.
Mohamed was one of five children – he had three brothers and one sister.
His eldest brother told Gulf Times that the teenager had been very ambitious and travelled to the UK to improve his English and “not repeat the weakness of his brothers” who had shown no flair for the language.
Another brother, aged 12, added: “I cannot imagine that Mohamed has passed away. It will take a long time before I can absorb that as a fact.”