Muslim cult members arrested in UK accused of slavery and sexual abuse
UK police carried out a major raid on the headquarters of the ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) in Crewe, arresting nine people as part of an inquiry into serious allegations including sexual abuse, forced marriage, and modern slavery.
The probe began after a woman who had previously been involved with the group reported rape and sexual abuse in 2023. cheshire Police said the arrests included suspects from multiple countries, and that the organization operates from the Webb House, a former orphanage where more than 100 people are believed to live as a commune.
Authorities emphasized the action was focused on the reported crimes rather than on the religion itself. The group, founded in 2015 by Egyptian-American Abdullah Hashem, presents itself as drawing from Muslim beliefs, but is described as doctrinally distinct from mainstream Islam. Hashem has also made competing religious claims, including that he is a successor of Jesus, the Mahdi, and the “true pope” of Christianity, and he has invited President Donald Trump to join the movement.
Police stormed the headquarters of an Islamic cult in the United Kingdom, arresting an international group of suspects in connection with alleged sexual abuse and other crimes.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers raided the Crewe headquarters of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, a new age Islamic movement headed by self-proclaimed prophet Abdullah Hashem.
Recommended Stories
The operation was the “outcome of a detailed and robust investigation” into “reports of serious sexual offenses, forced marriage and modern slavery.”
A woman who was previously a follower of the Ahmadi religion is understood to have made allegations of rape and sexual abuse in 2023, launching the investigation.
Cheshire Police reported that nine arrests were made at the premises, including six men and three women. Those brought into custody included individuals from the United States, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Egypt.
AROPL has been operating out of the Webb House, a former orphanage in Crewe, where over 100 individuals are believed to be living in a commune.
Despite claiming roots in the Muslim faith, the Ahmadi religion is functionally unrelated to any orthodox practice of Islam. It blends new age beliefs, conspiracy theories, and an à la carte approach to theology into a denomination unrecognizable to any Abrahamic tradition.
Hashem, an Egyptian-American, founded the religion in 2015. He has simultaneously claimed to be a successor of Jesus Christ, the messianic Mahdi figure of Islam, and the true pope of Christianity.
Hashem recently invited President Donald Trump, “Emperor of the United States of America,” to join the Ahmadi religion, promising that he would “have an opportunity to be a great ruler.”
“He won’t have an opportunity to be pope, unfortunately, because I already claimed that,” Hashem told two of his followers in a podcast recording. “The person who claims it first is the true claimant.”
Cheshire Constabulary Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley told the public that the operation was an “investigation into the serious allegations which have been reported to us” and not an “investigation into the religion” itself.
“I would like to reassure residents that there is no risk to the wider community, and patrols have been stepped up to provide reassurance to local residents,” he said. “I would urge anyone with any concerns to speak to an officer.”
TWO JEWISH LONDONERS STABBED BY ATTACKER AS MAYOR LAMENTS ‘SERIES OF SHOCKING ANTISEMITIC ATTACKS’
Two other properties owned and operated by AROPL were raided by British police on Wednesday.
The organization maintains properties worldwide, including a U.S. headquarters in Reno, Nevada. Hashem is represented by regional “bishops” in other countries but maintains total control over the direction and governance of the faith.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
