LONDON: A man who was attacked with acid while with his cousin, leaving both with life-changing injuries, has said they were targeted because they are Muslim.

Jameel Muhktar and Resham Khan were attacked while sitting in a car at traffic lights in Beckton, east London, while out celebrating Ms Khan’s 21st birthday.

Both suffered severe burns to the face and body and Mr Muhktar was initially placed in an induced coma. Police have named the suspected attacker as John Tomlin, 24, but have said they have no information to suggest that the assault was racially or religiously motivated.

Nevertheless, Mr Mukhtar, who along with Ms Khan is still recovering in hospital, said he believed recent jihadi terrorist attacks in the UK may have led to him and his cousin being targeted.

“It’s definitely a hate crime,” he told Channel 4 News. “I believe it’s something to do with Islamophobia. Maybe he’s got it in for Muslims because of the things that have been going on lately.

“I don’t know if people are trying to retaliate. We’re innocent people. We didn’t deserve that. I’ve never seen this guy in my life. I don’t have any problems with anybody. My cousin is 21. She’s a business student. Why would anyone do that to us?”

Mr Mukhtar, 37, said that if the roles had been reversed and an Asian man had attacked an English couple with acid, “the whole country knows it would be classed as a terror attack”.

He described the constant pain he was experiencing as like “somebody’s ironing me 24/7” and said he was an emotional wreck.

Mr Mukhtar said that when the man knocked on the window, at around 9.15am on June 21, and first sprayed the substance, he thought it was a practical joke.

But he then noticed that his cousin was burning, and started to feel his clothes and trainers melting on to his body. In terror, he tried to drive off but, temporarily blinded and in pain, he crashed the car.

Screaming, the pair of them stripped off and pleaded with local residents for water before being driven to a hospital.

“When I went to the hospital they had to jet-wash me with water to get the acid off,” said Mr Mukhtar. “It was excruciating pain. I was screaming like a baby. I’m petrified. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m going to be scarred for life. I’m emotionally wrecked. I’m in continuous pain.”

Ms Khan, who is from Manchester, said she had had skin grafts and was wondering whether her life would ever be the same. The aspiring model had come to London to visit a spa and go for a meal to celebrate her birthday, having just returned from a student exchange year in Cyprus. She has criticised the emergency services response, claiming the ambulance took too long to arrive and police waited days after the attack before taking a statement from her.

A crowdfunding page for Ms Khan had raised more than £40,000 by Friday afternoon, a third more than the £30,000 target. The page was set up by Daniel Mann, a university friend who said the incident had forced Ms Khan and Mr Mukhtar to “put their lives on hold”.

“Resham was due to start her new job on July 2 which she can no longer do,” Mr Mann wrote on the crowdfunding page. “Also she was called in for a job interview which she can no longer attend. Their life is currently on hold but we want them to see that this is temporary and things will get back to normal.”

Police have warned the public not to approach Tomlin, who is known to frequent the Canning Town area of east London. He is described as being around 6ft tall and having distinctive teardrop and dagger tattoos on his face.

By arrangement with The Guardian

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2017