Surgeon: God’s will that I didn’t die with family

A neurosurgeon whose family died in a suspected arson attack said the evil deed was part of God’s plan and he was not supposed to be angry with him for allowing it to happen.

Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, a neurosurgeon based in Ireland, also said he believes it was God’s will that he was not killed along with his wife and teenage children.

An 18-year-old, Kemo Anthony Porter, appeared in court yesterday charged with murdering the family — Shehnila Taufiq, 47, her daughter Zainab, 19, and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamil, 15 — who died in a fire in their home in Leicester, England, last Friday.

The Dublin Beaumount Hospital consultant, who normally spent three weekends out of four with his family in Leicester, said that he last spoke to his wife of 20 years at 11.10pm the previous night.

“Initially I planned that if I could come one day before so that I could spend an extra day with Jamil. But it was not possible,” he said.

“God did not want that I should be in the house at that time on that Friday night... otherwise I could be burned as well. God did not plan it like that.”

Dr al Sattar said his family will be buried in Ireland.

Mr Porter, of Browning St, Leicester, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth at a two-minute hearing.

He was remanded in custody to appear by videolink at the city’s Crown Court on Monday.

In a statement issued yesterday, assistant chief constable Roger Bannister, of Leicestershire Police, said there was no suspicion of a racially motivated element to either the house fire or, separately, the fatal stabbing elsewhere in the city of 20-year-old Antoin Akpom.

In a lengthy interview with RTÉ Radio, Dr al Sattar said he got a call from a friend at 3.10am to tell him that his house was on fire.

He said his Muslim faith has taught him to be thankful if something good happens and to pray if something tragic occurs.

Asked why he does not appear to be angry over the deaths of his family, he replied simply: “We’re not supposed to be.”

Dr al Sattar spoke glowingly about his wife.

“She was an excellent person. She was an extraordinary multi-tasker. She was a caring mother,” he said.

Dr al Sattar said his wife’s vision had encouraged him to help set up the Dawah community centre in the Castleknock area of Dublin where the family also had a home.