Football youth workers’ knife attack by pitch
Community service award-winners who fled war-torn Somalia tell of shock
Published: 16 April 2010
by JOSIE HINTON
FOUR youth workers who fled war-torn Somalia were stabbed by a gang of youths while they played football in Finsbury Park.
Amin Husein, 23, Omar Abdullahi, 20, Abdirahman Ali, 22, and Mohamed Jama, 21, were attacked as they supervised a weekly youth training session of the Jubba football team on Friday.
It took place just weeks after Mr Husein and Mr Abdullahi were given awards for “outstanding community service” by Islington’s mayor for setting up the team for Somali youths.
They were playing on their usual pitch adjacent to Sevens Sisters Road at around 6.30pm when a group of black men snatched their ball and refused to give it back.
An argument broke out, before another group of men appeared on the scene.
“Suddenly about 15 guys came out of nowhere and started attacking us,” said Mr Husein, of Balls Pond Road. “They were looking for a fight. They didn’t even know us or know who we were, so I think they just wanted to see someone hurt.”
Mr Husein was stabbed in the shoulder and Mr Abdullahi in his leg, while Mr Ali was wounded in the stomach. Mr Jama received injuries to his arm.
They youth workers have spoken of their shock at the unprovoked attack.
Mr Husein said: “When I left Somalia, I left behind a life where I could see friends being killed. Coming to London I thought I had left that miserable life behind, so it was a big shock to see my friends covered in blood.
“We do what we do to keep young people out of trouble. This just shows how vulnerable they are. If young men are willing to knife complete strangers, knowing they could go to jail for five years, they must really have no hope for their lives.”
The team were due to travel to Bristol on the night of the attack for a friendly match the following day. Training has now been put on hold, as parents of the young footballers – who range from 15 to 20 – have refused to let them play unless a safer location is found.
But Mr Husein has vowed not to let the attack stop them.
“We have to show young people that this is life,” he said. “Bad things happen but you can’t let them stop you from living.”
Islington Mayor Councillor Anna Berent has vowed to do as much as possible to help the team find a safer place to play.
She said: “These are lads that are doing a really good job. It’s quite appalling that when people are making an effort to help their community this can be turned into a reason for them to be attacked.”
DS Simon Jones, of Haringey CID, who is investigating the incident, said: “It appears that a seemingly trivial incident has escalated to the point at which four men have been stabbed. We would like to speak to any of those that were involved in the initial altercation, as they may have information that could assist our enquiries.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact DS Jones on 020 8345 0737 or anonymously on 0800 555 111.
• Four males, aged 14, 17 and two aged 20, have been arrested and bailed pending further enquiries in connection with the incident.