A devastated father told today how he performed CPR on his dying son, after a hit-and-run driver mowed down three men who were ‘protecting their community against rioting and looters’.
Tariq Jahan said his hands and face were ‘covered in blood’ as he tried to save the life of 21-year-old Haroon in Birmingham.
Clearly in shock and pleading for an end to the violence that has swept across cities and towns, he said: ‘I miss him dearly but two days from now the whole world will forget - no one will care.’
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: 'Tensions are already high in the area.
‘It’s already bad enough what we are seeing on the streets now without other people taking the law into their own hands.’
Haroon, Abdul Musavir, 31, and Shazad Ali, 31, were mowed down as they stood on the pavement protecting their mosque and businesses in the community.
Today, a 32-year-old man was being questioned on suspicion of murder.
The father said he was standing round the corner as the car mounted the pavement and knocked down the three young men.
He said he acted instinctively and helped - without realising his boy was one of the trio who were fatally injured.
Mr Jahan said: 'The car came up on the pavement for God knows what reason and I was standing nearby.
'I heard it happen and I turned round and I saw three people on the ground and my instinct to help and I started CPR and someone told me that one of them was my son.
‘I started CPR on my own son and my hands and face were covered in blood. What was the point in doing it? We are here defending the community. He was a good kid aged 21, and very well liked.’
Mohammed Chowdhri, who knew Haroon, said the three young men were on the streets protecting the mosque and businesses from rioters.
He said: 'I have known Haroon since he was a baby, we are all absolutely devastated. He was fed up with the rioters and the looters and he was determined that they would not destroy our community.
'Him and the two other boys who died, Shazad and Musaver, went out to protect the mosque and the local businesses.
'They were very worried that the businesses and the mosque would be looted and destroyed.
Haroon was a very religious boy, a very good boy, and he was doing what he thought was right. The boys took it upon themselves to put an end to the violence.
‘They went to stand outside the mosque to protect it, and a car came driving round and round the nearby streets, at a really high speed. Suddenly it mounted the pavement and hit the three boys.’
Shazad Ali had recently got married, and his wife, Khansa, is four months pregnant. The men were killed while trying to protect a Muslim Community Centre, and a friend’s business, from rioters as chaos spread across Birmingham last night.
Tonight, the Prime Minister described the apparent killing of the three men as a ‘truly dreadful incident’ and offered his condolences to their families.
A family friend told the Mail Online: 'Haroon’s father is devastated. The whole family is in shock. Nobody can quite believe what’s happened.
‘Haroon was the kindest, most loving, down to earth person you could wish to meet.’
Another friend said were simply standing up for what they believed was right. The friend, who asked not to be named, said: 'They were very kind and very friendly and very charming - and they were very caring people as well.
‘They were protecting other people’s property because the day before the Jet petrol station had been robbed and they (looters) were planning to do it again.’
The family friend said Shazad, who had a degree in business management from the University of Central England, was standing near the petrol station with his brother when they were hit.
Appealing on behalf of the family for people not to take the law into their own hands, the man told the Press Association: It’s really, really sad. The family just want justice to be done.’
A cousin of Shazad and Abdul, Sobia Nazia, said: 'They had gone for evening prayer at the community centre when they came out and saw a car circling the block.
'We had all heard about the looting and the rioting are everyone was worried that they were going to spread to our community.
'Although there hadn’t been any looting there yet, the boys and their friend Haroon decided to stay out on the street and make sure no trouble started.
'They knew shops and businesses had been ransacked in Birmingham and they were worried. They decided to stay outside the community centre, and also to protect a petrol station owned by a friend. The car had driven past at a high speed several times.
Unbelievable, may allah give the parents and other family members sabr. And may they rest in peace.](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2024375/BIRMINGHAM-RIOTS-Tariq-Jahan-tells-thugs-killed-son-Haroon-2-friends.html#ixzz1UeCodToh)