The friend who turned into a murderer

He had travelled thousands of miles to escape the brutal Iraqi regime.

Just over 16 months later, he was sent back to his family in a body bag with the shocking information his horrific stab wounds were inflicted by a fellow countryman.

Mr Mostafa had fled from the violence and tensions of the Northern Iraqi area known as Kurdistan only to suffer a horrific death in a Blackburn street.

He was refused refugee status, but given exceptional leave to remain on the basis it was too dangerous for him to return to war-torn Iraq. This meant he could stay in England for up to four years, possibly indefinitely if he worked and built a life for himself.

After smuggling his way into Britain, he had been sent to Great Yarmouth by immigration officials where there was a room in a hotel and a job in a chicken factory for him.

Mr Mostafa - 26 at the time of his death - made many friends from the large Iraqi asylum community. One of his closest relationships was with Farhan Samsuddin Hamad, a quick-tempered teenager and Iraqi Kurd who was later to kill him.

Hamad, a member of a tribe called Khorshnaw, had fled the Hawler region of Northern Iraq because an organisation called KPD was threatening to kill him. Mr Mostafa and Hamad kept in constant touch as they moved to different places in the country.

In January 2001, Mr Mostafa, who had lived in Wigan, headed for Warrington to find work. Hamad, by now 20 years-old, had been living in 22 Infirmary Street, Blackburn, since August 20, 2002, after moving from Bolton.

His terrace house was provided by Darwen Management Services, which operates 90 properties for asylum seekers across the borough on behalf of social services.

Less than a week after moving to Warrington, Mr Mostafa decided to go and visit his friend, who had also been refused refugee status but given leave to remain. He arrived on January 16 by public transport. Three days later he was dead.

The two friends went to Moseley Street off licence and bought alcohol on Sunday, January 19, at 6.15 pm.

Hamad started drinking and toxicology tests later showed there was 105 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his blood, while Mr Mostafa was relatively sober with only 38 milligrams. The drink drive limit is 80 milligrams.

At 10.53pm, they spoke by mobile phone to mutual friend Soran Fatar, also of Infirmary Street, who had gone to Jumpin' Jaks nightclub, in Blackburn. Mr Mostafa was invited, but declined because people who went clubbing did not like his moustache, according to Mr Fatar.

An hour later, Infirmary Street resident Kenneth Jackson discovered Hamad cradling a dying Mr Mostafa. A blood splattered kitchen knife was nearby.

Hamad was arrested and taken to Greenbank police station, Whitebirk. It was three days before police were able to charge him with murder. Detectives had no forensic evidence, no witnesses and no motive.

Hamed claimed white men had stabbed his friend, but police spoke to 250 people and took 313 statements - none saw any white men.

But in their exhaustive inquiries, hampered by needing nine interpreters because of the number of different nationalities in Infirmary Street, a clear circumstantial version of events was emerging.

A dozen Infirmary Street residents reported hearing raised voices, arguing or shouting from two non-English speaking men at various times between 10pm and midnight. Plus, Hamad's inaccuracy in describing what happened with the white men was giving the impression of lies.

The murder weapon was revealed to be like that which Darwen Management Services provide for residents to cook and eat with and the post mortem examination showed Mr Mostafa had been stabbed five times with the wounds - two on his face and one each in the heart, left lung and chest - up to nine centimetres deep. These injuries were consistent with a frenzied attack, not the quick stabbing Hamad said the white men carried out.

Detectives also discovered Mr Mostafa had left his mobile phone and registration documents for a car at Hamad's home. That, together with a bag of wet washing beside Mr Mostafa's body, convinced them he had left in a hurry to escape Hamad.

On January 23 at 12.35pm, Hamad was charged with murder. He denied it and replied: "This person was my brother."

The jury at Preston Crown chose not to accept his version.

For Mr Mostafa's family, who have witnessed a war on their doorstep, the lack of a motive must make his death even more incomprehensible. His body arrived in their Kurdish village via Baghdad in February.

Today, Kurdish government representatives were trying to contact them with the news Hamad had been found guilty.

Maybe they will take comfort that the land which offered Mr Mostafa hope had given them justice.

No evidence of 'simmering tensions'

ASYLUM seekers are no more likely to commit crime or be victims than any other people, police said today.

Inspector Andrew Cameron, the officer in charge of minorities team, said he could not provide figures but added: "There is a lot of good work being undertaken by the police, and other partners, to engage with the asylum seeker community and break down barriers.

"There is no evidence of 'simmering tensions' in the area and this is testament to the community and the efforts being made by all concerned.

"We're trying to make it easier for asylum seekers to report crime by printing material in various languages while conveying rules of citizenship and expected standards of behaviour.

"Local police officers are working closely with all members of the community to ensure any problems are swiftly and effectively dealt with."

There are 660 asylum seekers in Blackburn - 173 are Iraqi, 80 from the Czech Republic, 62 from Afghanistan and 62 from Iran. There are asylum seekers from over 50 countries in the borough.

Nationally, there were 6,805 Iraqis seeking asylum in 2001, 14,940 in 2002 and 2,135 already this year. They make up the largest nationality of asylum seekers.

Of those, only seven per cent were given refugee status, although 77 per cent were given exceptional leave to remain.