The murder of Nahid Al-Manea which we have previously highlighted, was a shocking crime that left a mark not only in Essex, but through Muslim communities nationally, as well as within Saudi Arabia, a country whom she was a citizen of. The brutal nature of the attack and the fact that she wore a headscarf and was visibly Muslim, led to police and press sources following a line of enquiry that she had possibly been murdered because she was targeted as a Muslim. Yet, this was only one line of enquiry.
We met senior officers from Essex Police today and talked through the outreach and community engagement work that is undertaken in the area. The Chief Inspector is a dynamic and very experienced senior officer who served for many years in the Metropolitan Police Force and who worked extensively with Muslim communities in the capital. We also found out from officers that the investigation into finding Nahid’s murderer was still ongoing and with officers leaving no stone unturned. Recently, for example, officers from Essex Police travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet with her family and spent a week there with their investigations. It must also be noted that prior to the murder of Nahid, Jim Attfield was murdered in the Colchester area and Essex police have in fact re-arrested five people in relation to this crime.
We would like to thank Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston and Chief Inspector Stephen Kavanagh for their continued leadership and for their work on tackling bigotry, prejudice and intolerance in the form of anti-Muslim hate.