Marriage fear teenager 'murdered'

BBC ^ | 11 January 2008 | Staff

[forkinsocket]

A teenage girl who feared a marriage was being arranged by her parents was the victim of a "vile murder", a coroner has said. The decomposed body of Shafilea Ahmed, 17, was found on a riverbank in February 2004, six months after she went missing from her Warrington home.

South Cumbria coroner Ian Smith ruled Shafilea had been unlawfully killed.

Shafilea's parents and five family members were arrested during the police inquiry but no charges were brought.

After the inquest, Supt Geraint Jones, of Cheshire Police, said it "remains a live murder inquiry".

"It will not be closed until the killer or killers have been brought to justice," he said.

Mr Smith said Shafilea was genuinely afraid, rightly or wrongly, that her parents were planning to arrange her marriage.

Delivering the verdict at the inquest in Kendal, he said he was convinced Shafilea was murdered.

The body "had been hidden and she had been taken many miles away from home", he said.

Mr Smith said he believed the concept of an arranged marriage for the Muslim teenager was "central" to the circumstances leading up to her death.

[forkinsocket]

Another honor killing?

[driftdiver]

We recently had two here in the States

[Balding_Eagle]

Oh come on, Diversity is our Strength.

[353FMG]

This is merely the beginning. Wait until the day that girls disappear and are later found buried in the backyard like so many places in the ME.

[Cinnamon]

you know if some catholic family had murdered their daughter oh boy... but it’s the Muslims. It’s a cultural thing.

[KenHorse]

(Religion of Peace Alert)

[Tax-chick]

I’m confused. The young lady was killed in 2004 and they’re just holding an inquiry now?

[puroresu]

Yeah, but it's Christian conservatives who are the real Taliban. Muslims are just misunderstood. Why, it's no wonder they feel alienated in our bigoted Western nations!

[Republicus2001]

like so many places in the ME.

or Juarez Mexico

[Brilliant]

No, it can’t be an honor killing. The article says it was unlawful, and this is Britain, afterall.

[Contra]

it “remains a live murder inquiry” huh?

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Wow. They actually used the word ‘muslim’ in the article. Unusual.

[Ignatz]

South Cumbria coroner Ian Smith ruled Shafilea had been unlawfully killed.

Lawful killing can only be done by the British Crown.

[Kozak]

I’m confused. The young lady was killed in 2004 and they’re just holding an inquiry now

The British police are reopening a bunch of cases that they didn't investigate very thoroughly at the time out of concerns of "cultural sensitivity". They have finally woken up to the fact that honor killings are occurring there and aren't just a feature of third world muslim hell holes...

[Cacique]

btt

[sunny48]

Probably more than that. Does your count include the murder of two teenage daughters in Lewisville, Texas two weeks ago?

[Tax-chick]

Oh, I see. Thanks!

[davisfh]

"I’m confused. The young lady was killed in 2004 and they’re just holding an inquiry now?"

Indeed! I was about to say that the government needs to deal with this and quickly. Well, it seems that "quickly" went by several years ago. I fear that their civilization is being winnowed away just as ours is.

[tioga]

they need to hire a new headline writer.......that is an appalling title

[driftdiver]

“Does your count include the murder of two teenage daughters in Lewisville, Texas two weeks ago?”

Those were the ones I was specifically referring to. I didn’t remember if there were others. I know theres been several in the UK.