‘Grief and sorrow of community in the midst of joy and happiness’
RELIGIOUS LEADER TELLS OF PRAYERS AS SIX HURT IN CRASH
A COMMUNITY is still struggling to come to terms with the impact of a horrendous crash, a religious leader has revealed.
Sheikh Abdul Basith, the Imam of Newcastle Central Mosque, said the Mosque’s congregation is praying for the full recovery of the injured following a crash on Westgate Road on Sunday which left six people injured.
One of those hurt was a seven-yearold boy who is still in a critical condition.
Imam Basith visited the Royal Victoria Infirmary on Monday to join families in their bedside vigils with the injured.
He spoke of his horror after the accident turned a day of celebration into a nightmare.
Thousands of people had gathered on the fields behind the sports centre on Westgate Road for prayers and celebration to mark the end of Ramadan.
Imam Basith said: “Eid is a time of joy and celebration and happiness, then all of a sudden with this awful accident it became a moment of grief and sorrow.
“The whole congregation’s thoughts and prayers are with those affected. We are hoping everyone makes a full recovery.”
One adult and two children remain in hospital and a seven-year-old boy is fighting for his life in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Two fathers and their sons were among the six injured in the accident, and the father of the critically ill sevenyear-old was also injured in the drama.
Imam Basith said: “I have spoken to the young boy’s grandfather and he is improving, so hopefully this will continue.”
Although speculation was rife on social media that the crash was a targeted terror attack, Imam Basith said he didn’t think it was an attack on Muslim people.
He said: “As a community with everything that happened around the world people thought it was a deliberate thing that happened.
“As an Imam I never thought it, the first thing I thought was this was a terrible accident. As a Muslim in Newcastle I feel that it is a safe place, a lovely place. The majority of us have never faced any hate.
“Most Muslims feel safe in Newcastle and we have had so much support from the wider community.”
A 42-year-old local woman was arrested by police for causing serious injury by dangerous driving; she has now been released on conditional bail pending further investigation.
Northumbria Police have appealed for anyone with footage of the collision to come forward to help investigations.
Anyone with footage is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 277 25/06/17.