Attacker was ‘quiet, polite and decent’

The man responsible for a knife attack in a Glasgow hotel has been described as a “quiet and polite and decent guy” by asylum seekers who were residing there.

Badreddin Abadlla Adam, 28, from Sudan, was shot dead by officers after six people – including 42-year-old police constable David Whyte – were injured in the incident on Friday at the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street.

The other five people – aged 17, 18, 20, 38 and 53 – all remain in hospital, with one in a critical condition.

One of the asylum seekers who was staying at the hotel yesterday spoke out about the conditions there and what he had been told of the attacker.

Andrew said: “I (was not) around when it took place but I happened to gather some information from my other asylum seekers.

“They described him as a quiet and polite and decent guy – they were surprised that he acted the way he acted.

“There must be something that pushed him to behave in that ugly manner which honestly I strongly condemned because it is abnormal, but definitely something must have pushed that guy into that level of disastrous act.”

Yesterday’s press conference was organised by Positive Action in Housing (PAIH).

The charity, situated just a few doors down from the Park Inn, has raised concerns after private housing provider Mears, which is subcontracted by the Home Office, moved refugees from self-contained accommodation to the hotels.

PAIH is now calling for an inquiry into the incident and the “accommodation crisis” facing asylum seekers in the city.

It also wants to “pay some form of thanks” to Mr Whyte and the hotel reception staff who were injured, with cards and flowers being organised to be taken to the police station.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We’re considering what further lessons need to be learned from what happened on Friday.

“Aileen Campbell, the communities secretary, is discussing the safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers in a phone call with the UK Government later today.”

She praised the police officers and medical staff who dealt with the incident, and passed on her best wishes to the injured.