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Arab News
5 days ago
- Arab News
As Saudis mourn Al-Qasim, Brits should prepare for the same for ‘Brand UK'
As Saudis mourn the tragic loss of 20-year-old Mohammed Yousef Al-Qasim, a language student stabbed to death in Cambridge on the night of Aug. 1, the UK must confront a sobering reality: Its global image is bleeding alongside its streets. Al-Qasim was attacked in an unprovoked knife assault near Mill Park, just steps from his residence. The assailant, Chas Corrigan, 21, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife. A second man was arrested for assisting the offender and a third suspect remains at large. The motives remain unclear, but the brutality is undeniable. Al-Qasim was not just another foreign student, and should not be just a passing story or a number. He was a young, ambitious and bright man full of dreams, positivity and love. He enrolled in a 10-week English program with EF International Language Campuses. He had come to the UK to improve his language skills so he could build a better future. After his untimely death, we found out that he was also a volunteer who served pilgrims during Hajj, a soul described by not just his family, but also by Saudi officials, as kind, generous and full of promise. Just over 20 years ago, I too packed my bags and left my family to study in the UK. I remember how I had to juggle the excitement, the ambition and the hope that came with the opportunity with the sadness of leaving home, and that look of concealed concern in my parents' eyes as they bid me farewell. Al-Qasim did not die in a war zone — he died in a beautiful academic city once considered a second home for many Saudi students. Faisal J. Abbas | Editor-in-Chief But back in 2004, London and Cambridge were different places to what they are today in terms of safety — even as an Arab/Muslim living in the UK after the atrocious 7/7 attacks in 2005, I can safely say I never felt unsafe in Great Britain. Today, I shudder to think what Al-Qasim's loving mother must be going through. Her son did not die in a war zone — he died in a beautiful academic city once considered a second home for many Saudi students. How proud must she have been to tell her friends that her son was off to study in 'Cambridge,' and how terrified and heartbroken must she have felt when she heard the news that her son had died for no apparent reason. As if that were not enough, another video surfaced this week showing Saud bin Hariul Al-Subaie, a Saudi tourist in London, tackling a phone thief to the ground. The footage went viral, not just for its drama but for what it revealed: Phone snatching has become a phenomenon in the British capital. A phone is stolen every six minutes, with more than 78,000 snatch thefts reported in the past year — a 150 percent increase. So when US President Donald Trump recently said London Mayor Sadiq Khan was doing a bad job, he was not wrong. Anyone who presides over an 86 percent increase in knife crime since taking office, and allows thuggery to flourish, is not a friend to the PM, Londoners — or to Britain's international visitors. And please, spare us the excuse of 'limited resources.' If the Metropolitan Police can dispatch 11 officers to arrest peaceful activist Montgomery Toms on July 5 for simply wearing a placard at a trans parade, then surely they can spare a few officers to patrol hotspots and protect innocent civilians. So what will be done to protect students, tourists, and those who still believe in Brand UK? These are not rhetorical questions — they demand answers. Faisal J. Abbas | Editor-in-Chief There are precedents of successful cracking down on crime in major cities. Rudy Giuliani's New York in the 1990s saw a 66 percent drop in murders and 67 percent drop in robberies, thanks to CompStat and a zero-tolerance approach. It was not perfect, but it worked. London needs its own Giuliani — not another apologist. Back to Cambridge: Eyewitnesses told Al-Ekhbariya that the ambulance took more than 30 minutes to arrive. That delay, if true, raises serious questions. Was Al-Qasim's case not deemed urgent enough for the seven-minute response standard? Or did the drivers simply take their sweet time? Either way, the delay, if the eyewitnesses are to be believed, is unacceptable and must be investigated. This was not a case of a stolen wallet — this was a fatal knife attack. So what will be done to protect students, tourists, and those who still believe in Brand UK? These are not rhetorical questions — they demand answers. In the meantime, we at Arab News are announcing our support for the charity fund established by Al-Qasim's family to distribute water in his memory. The idea is to keep his memory alive by quenching the thirst of needy people across the Kingdom. Those wishing to donate — be they in the UK or Saudi Arabia — to the campaign can do so via this trusted government portal at Al-Qasim's death should not be in vain. It should be a wake-up call — not just for the UK, but for all of us who believe in the sanctity of life.
Gulf Insider
6 days ago
- Gulf Insider
UK: Cambridge Man Charged With Murder In Fatal Stabbing Of Saudi Student
A 21-year-old man has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place following the fatal stabbing of Mohammed Yousef Al Qasim, a 20-year-old Saudi national studying in Cambridge, police said. The incident, which officers described as an 'unprovoked attack,' took place late Friday night near Mill Park, a short walk from the victim's residence. Al Qasim was reportedly confronted and stabbed by the suspect shortly before midnight. Emergency responders arrived at the scene at 11:27pm, but despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at 12:01am on Saturday. Al Qasim was enrolled in a 10-week English language programme at EF International Language Campuses. The suspect, from Cambridge, appeared before Peterborough Magistrates' Court on Monday. A second man, 50, was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and remains in custody. Authorities said a third suspect is still at large. A post-mortem examination is scheduled for Tuesday. The Saudi Embassy in the UK said: 'We are closely following up on the incident involving the assault of a Saudi citizen in the south of Cambridge, UK, which resulted in his death. We affirm that we are continuing to coordinate with the relevant British authorities to uncover the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident, in preparation for completing the procedures to repatriate the deceased's body to the Kingdom.'
Arab News
6 days ago
- Arab News
‘Hard truth': UK becoming an unsafe destination, warns uncle of slain Saudi student
LONDON: Britain is losing its reputation for being a safe education and travel destination, the uncle of a Saudi student who was stabbed to death in Cambridge has told The National. Mohammed Yousef Al-Qassem, 20, was killed in the city's Mill Park last Friday in what police described as an 'unprovoked attack.' He was on a 10-week placement course at EF International Language Campuses Cambridge, a private English-language school. Chas Corrigan, 21, was charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place. Majed Abalkhail, Al-Qassem's uncle, said family members have traveled to Cambridge to repatriate his body. 'Mohammed's father is in Cambridge, accompanied by some of his brothers, to follow up on the procedures for bringing Mohammed home, in coordination with the Saudi Embassy,' he added. In comments to The National, Abalkhail conveyed his 'deep frustration and growing anger' over the state of law and justice in Britain. The country, long viewed by Saudis as a top destination for education and tourism, is quickly gaining a reputation for lawlessness and insecurity, he said. 'People from various countries, including many in the Arab world, are seriously rethinking any plans to visit or study in the UK,' Abalkhail added. 'This is the hard truth being spoken in private conversations and social circles — and it's time it was said out loud. 'Britain is rapidly losing its global reputation, not just as a center of education, but even as a travel destination. 'Sadly, Britain is becoming a symbol of lawlessness, insecurity and government failure, and this perception is spreading fast among people of all backgrounds.' He paid tribute to the deceased and said the 20-year-old, a 'calm, kind-hearted young man,' had dreamed of becoming a doctor. Al-Qassem's killing follows the fatal stabbing of 19-year-old Mohammed Afzal in the town of Bury last week. Abalkhail said the fatal attacks reveal a 'dangerous environment plagued by theft, stabbings and violent crime' in Britain. Al-Qassem's school said it is 'deeply saddened' by his death. Various police statistics, particularly those for London, have shown a rise in crime in recent years, amid growing public anger over the state of law and justice in the country. In the year to March 2025, authorities recorded 6.6 million crimes, up from 4.2 million a decade ago. There were 22,000 knife-related crimes in the same period, a notable increase from 14,000 in 2015. In 2024, there were almost 17,000 knife offenses, a figure that has almost doubled in a decade.
The Sun
04-08-2025
- The Sun
Family pay heartbreaking tribute to ‘pure of heart' Saudi Cambridge student stabbed to death outside luxury flats
TRIBUTES have been made by the family of a young student who died following a fatal assault in Cambridge on Friday evening. The 20-year-old, Mohammad Algasim, was pronounced dead at the scene outside a luxury block of flats in Mill Park on August 1. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Mohammad had been on a 10-week placement studying English at The EF International Language Campuses in Cambridge. In a statement, the family wrote: 'Muhammad Yousef Algasim. "A young man brimming with enthusiasm, brimming with chivalry and courage. "He was a dutiful son, a loving brother, and the leader of the family in spirit, not in appearance. "He was cheerful, chivalrous, pure of heart, quick to give, and passionate about others. "Over time, he became the family's charisma, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy in every gathering. "He was his father's support, his familiar companion, and the assistant to his uncles and maternal uncles. "He was the most compassionate person to ever visit a mother's heart and the closest to his sisters' embrace.' A 21-year-old Cambridge man appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court this morning, after he was arrested in connection with the murder. He has been is due to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, August 6. A 50-year-old man, also from the city, also remains in custody on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Saudi Arabian student, 20, is stabbed to death during placement in Cambridge - as man, 21, is charged with murder
A Saudi Arabian student has been stabbed to death during his placement in Cambridge. Mohammed Algasim, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene of Mill Park at 12.01am on Saturday despite the best efforts of paramedics to save him. A 21-year-old man from Cambridge has been charged with murder and appeared before Peterborough Magistrates' Court today. He is due to appear before Cambridge Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. Police were called to the incident at 11.27pm following reports of violence. The street, near to Cambridge railway station, consists largely of apartment blocks - with floral tributes now left on the pavement outside one of the buildings. A message, on a piece of paper taped to a barrier behind the tributes, said 'may your soul be at peace' and had heart shapes drawn on it. It also said 'inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un', which is an Arabic phrase meaning 'to God we belong and to Him we return'. Police said that Mr Algasim had been on a 10-week placement studying in Cambridge. EF International Language Campuses Cambridge, a private school offering English language courses to overseas students, said it was 'deeply saddened' to confirm one of its adult students had died. Cambridgeshire Police said on Monday that it is believed Mr Algasim was 'stabbed in an unprovoked attack'. A post-mortem examination is due to take place on Tuesday. The force said that Chas Corrigan, of Cambridge, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place. A 50-year-old man, also from Cambridge, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. He remains in custody.
