The chip shop terror suspect
Man held over Xmas bomb plot ‘only became devout Muslim a year ago’
A chip shop terror suspect behind an alleged islamist christmas bomb plot became a devout Muslim ‘overnight’, it was claimed yesterday.
Andy Sami Star, 31, came to Britain from iraqi Kurdistan as an asylum seeker ten years ago and only passed his citizenship test in October.
Until a year ago the ‘charming and friendly’ fish fryer had shown no interest in islam, according to his former girlfriend, but he then became ‘ obsessed with religion’.
previously he would drink wine and celebrated christmas, even wearing a Santa-type hat on a christmas Day trip.
Star was arrested by counter-terrorism police on Tuesday at the flat above his Mermaid Fish Bar in chesterfield, Derbyshire, where he worked with his brother and handed out copies of the Koran to staff, according to a friend. he was one of four suspects arrested on suspicion of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism in raids in Sheffield and chesterfield.
Yesterday police said the four – aged 31, 36, 22 and 41 – remained in custody and detectives have been given until christmas Day to question them.
Joanne Mallinson, who was in a relationship with Star for around five years, yesterday told how she broke up with him because of his increasingly strident religious beliefs.
‘One day he never prayed and the next day he was going to pray every day and he took it seriously,’ the 33-year-old said.
‘i don’t know why but it literally happened overnight. he said he wanted to change his life and started praying.’
Restaurant worker Miss Mallinson met Star when she worked with him at a chip shop in Sheffield. ‘ he never socialised and spent all his time with me,’ she said. ‘Andy drank wine and beer and showed no interest in religion although he was a Muslim.’ Star’s first name is hazhar but he called himself Andy after an Armenian singer songwriter. he had grown a beard recently.
Miss Mallinson said Star arrived in the UK from his homeland, where he still has family, about ten years ago.
he was later granted indefinite leave to stay and passed his citizenship test three months ago.
The couple saw each other ‘on and off’ until about six months ago, with Miss Mallinson saying that even after his religious transformation Star was ‘very much against isis’. But his devotion to religion ultimately broke up their relationship. ‘he totally changed and was not the person i knew any more,’ she said.
‘i am not a Muslim and i didn’t want to go down that route ... Towards the last few months all he would go on about is islam.’
Miss Mallinson said she was shocked by news of the police raid at the chip shop, as despite her fears about Star she believes he is an unlikely terror suspect, adding: ‘ he was everyone’s friend and was always willing to help people, he was very caring. i have been in shock all day.’
Other friends also expressed surprise that he was a suspect. . Jordan Batteson, 25, who lives s near the Mermaid Fish Bar, , said: ‘he was a really nice guy, , really friendly. i used to go in n there to get my chips. he gave e the staff copies of the Koran.’
A close friend of Star said: ‘i can’t believe it ... i don’t know what happened, he was a nice guy ... i am sure he is innocent.’
Miss Mallinson’s mother r Norma said of Star: ‘he was s thoughtful and ever so friendly, , i thought they might get married. - More recently he would try y to preach religion at me.’
‘He said he wanted to change his life’