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Vandalism at Omar Deghayes' Saltdean home "racially-motivated"

11:20am Wednesday 21st July 2010 in


Police said they were treating vandalism at the home of the family of released Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Deghayes as racially-motivated.

A brick was thrown through the front window of Omar’s brother Abubaker Deghayes’ house in Arundel Drive East, Saltdean.

Two teenagers were seen running away, after the incident on Sunday police said.

The brick, which is being examined for fingerprints, smashed the double glazed window sending glass flying into the front room, narrowly missing Mr Deghayes’ 17-year-old daughter Aisha, who was watching television at the time.

It is the third time the house has been attacked in as many years, but father-of-six Mr Deghayes said his wife and six children – all aged between 11 and 17 – were the target of regular abuse.

Mr Deghayes, 42, said: “I have been here since 1986 and I have never before felt concerned or uncomfortable living in Britain, but now you can see hatred in people’s eyes."

The family was thrust into the national spotlight when Omar Deghayes was an inmate in the United States’ notorious prison in Cuba.

He was arrested in Pakistan in 2002 and held – but never charged – on suspicion of being a terrorist.

His family and supporters fought a five-year campaign – backed by The Argus – before he was released in December 2007.

A Sussex Police spokesman said they were considering whether the incident is connected to a similar incident at the address earlier this year.

Anyone with information should call Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999 quoting serial number 1928.

Comments(11)

mark by the sea says...
12:00pm Wed 21 Jul 10

hatred in peoples eyes? bit strong, interview never mentioned if he has a job? and if so, how is he treated by other members at work?

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mark by the sea says...
12:04pm Wed 21 Jul 10

just re read the story, its not his house!!! lol

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longman says...
12:32pm Wed 21 Jul 10

So what if he has/hasnt a job or that the house isnt his. To have a brick thrown at the house is horrible and terribly frighning not only for adults but for the children too. We have had eggs, bricks and stones thrown at our home over the last few years, thrown by youths living on the estate across the road from us. No particular reason for doing it, apart from the fact that they can! Yes, there is hatred in peoples' eyes - for anyone that isnt the same as them. Only yesterday there was a report in one of the national newspapers about two young men, who were raising money for charity, having been beaten up because 'they were too worthy'.

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icansee says...
12:37pm Wed 21 Jul 10

you will be able to read about the hatred and ignorance regarding this story all day here!

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sparky_2004 says...
12:56pm Wed 21 Jul 10

No doubt the perpertrators were the same type of scum as those who regularly post here condoning the torture of Omar and others!

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Tally Ho! says...
1:05pm Wed 21 Jul 10

Examining a brick for fingerprints!!!
Even Sussex Police (Awarded POOR in the HMICS Inspection on Solving Crimes) would know that was a waste of time.

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TheInsider says...
10:59pm Wed 21 Jul 10

As Saltdean is in the middle of nowhere, it's got to be local teenagers who committed the offence and folk who know where this family lives so it should not take long to find the perpetrators.....oh but wait, Simon Kirby (Tory MP) represents Saltdean and his party are cutting police costs in Sussex, so these vile criminals will probably get away with it.
And if the police do manage to launch a search for the criminals, perhaps they could look for our missing MP, last seen canvassing in Saltdean/Peacehaven.

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Iknowmorethanuthink says...
1:53am Thu 22 Jul 10

As much as I agree that bricking someones window is wrong, how on earth have Sussex Police come to the conclusion that it is racially motivated?!?

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puddingandpi says...
8:28pm Thu 22 Jul 10

Don't these people think he's been through enough? Idiots.

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sdthetruth says...
8:56pm Thu 22 Jul 10

Attacking the home of anyone is completely unacceptable.

However, this individual should not be allowed to live in Britain. He is not a citizen, not a tourist and not a genuine asylum seeker but another individual who wishes to milk the benefit system of the UK. Deport him and his family now.

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RickH says...
9:14pm Thu 22 Jul 10

sdthetruth wrote:
Attacking the home of anyone is completely unacceptable. However, this individual should not be allowed to live in Britain. He is not a citizen, not a tourist and not a genuine asylum seeker but another individual who wishes to milk the benefit system of the UK. Deport him and his family now.
He might not be all those things - you might be 100% right. But one thing he is is a victim of torture; torture possibly condoned and abetted by our own Government. Somehow I think we, the people who elected that Government, should maybe just put up and shut up and learn from our mistakes. Surprised you're not call for him to hanged!

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