'In my country, murder is normal': Man who is in jail for his niece's honour killing sues ITV for accusing him of ordering her rape

Daily Mail​

27-05-2025

A man serving life in jail for ordering the murder of his niece in a so called 'honour killing' is suing ITV over claims he also allowed her rape.
Banaz Mahmod was aged 20 when she was killed on the orders of her father Mahmod Mahmod and uncle Ari Mahmod after she left an abusive arranged marriage.
Other family members and friends were recruited to carry out the murder and she was raped by three of her cousins before being strangled.
Uncle Mahmod, 69, is now suing over a 2020 drama called Honour, starring Keeley Hawes, and a 2012 documentary on the killing.
He claims that in his Iraqi Muslim culture that 'honour' murders are acceptable but accusation of rape have destroyed his reputation, the Sun reports.
While representing himself, he told the High Court that he been attacked in jail and that his family were victims of reprisals.
'In my country murder is normal — after served time you have a new opportunity,' he said speaking via videolink from HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire earlier this month
'In my culture the main things they react against me was the rape allegation.'
Speaking about himself in the third person, he added: 'Almost all statements left no doubts the allegation of rape was with Ari's blessing. In the Islamic community rape is taboo — it is the highest level of crime.'
Banaz fled an abusive arranged marriage, which she had at the age of 17, after being continuously raped and beaten by her husband, who was ten years older.
She returned to live in the family home in south London and then fell in love with a Kurdish man, Rahmat Suleimani.
In the months leading up to her disappearance, Banaz reported to police five times that her family wanted her dead, but no action was taken.
She was deemed to have brought 'shame' on the family with her father and uncle hatching an evil plan to have her killed in the most savage way possible to restore their 'honour' and 'reputation' within the community.
Banaz suffered horrific sexual violence prior to being strangled to death at the family home in January 2006.
Her body was then stuffed into a suitcase and taken to Birmingham , where it was buried in the garden of an abandoned home.
Following the discovery of her body, Banaz's father, uncle and other relatives and family associates were charged with her murder or for conspiring in it.
In 2007, following a three-month trial at the Old Bailey, her father Mahmod Mahmod, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Her uncle, Ari Mahmod, was also found guilty of murder and sentenced to 23 years.
Her cousin, Mohamad Hama also admitted murder and was sentenced to at least 17 years in prison.
Three years later, Banaz's cousins Omar Hussain and Mohamad Saleh Ali, who carried out the killing, were extradited from Iraq and given life sentences of 22 years and 21 years respectively after being found guilty of murder.
Honour tells the story of DCI Caroline Goode's investigation into the young woman's fate after she was reported missing from her home by Mr Suleimani.
Keely Hawes plays the role of DCI Goode and graphically captures the police officer's dedication to catching the culprits, the obstacles she faced and how the chance sighting of a freezer from a helicopter led to their convictions.
Speaking to MailOnline in August 2024, DCI Goode said: 'This was the most complex and difficult investigation I have ever been involved in. From the outset we were met by a conspiracy of silence from the Iraqi-Kurdish community in the UK and had very little evidence to go on.
'The case was unusual because normally when you investigate a murder you are trying to get justice for the family. But in this instance, the family weren't interested in getting justice as they were the ones who ordered her killing.'
It is unclear why Ari Mahmod was allowed to sue the television network as convicted murderers usually have no reputation to defend.
Representing ITV, Barrister Ben Gallop said: 'The claimant is a convicted murderer. This is rare for a claim of libel as the possibility of any damage to his reputation is limited due to his pre-existing bad reputation.'
A judgement in the case is expected next month.