Student from Birmingham cleared of possessing flagellator as offensive weapon

It appears the Muslims (Suni and Shia) have found a good excuse for carrying a nasty weapon. A knuckle duster was also used as a 'belt buckle' according to MR Khan.


From the Daily Mail

A MUSLIM student from Birmingham who was caught with a bladed flagellator used by Shias to ritually scourge themselves has been cleared of possessing it as an offensive weapon.

Mohsin Khan, 21, who said he had been beating himself regularly with them since the age of six, had been driving to a West End nightclub with a friend when he was pulled over in a routine police check.

The flagellator – a handle with five metal chains each tipped with a sharp 10in blade – was found under his seat. A knuckle-duster was in a door pocket.

The law student, of Alcester Road, told London’s Southwark Crown Court yesterday that the flagellator was a “sacred implement” called a Zanjeer. He explained it was used by Shia Muslims to whip themselves during Muharram, the month of mourning – something he had been doing “since I was six”.

The jury, which was shown two photographs of his bloodied and scarred back after a previous self-beating session, cleared him of possessing the Zanjeer as an offensive weapon. It convicted him of a mirror-image count involving the knuckle-duster, after rejecting his defence that it doubled as a belt-buckle.

Khan was bailed until December 22 for reports.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/20/student-from-birmingham-cleared-of-possessing-flagellator-as-offensive-weapon-97319-25213134/