Muslim trio locked up for assault, abduction of Jewish-Israeli man in Wales

Three Muslim men in Wales assaulted a Jewish-Israeli music producer after luring him to an isolated cottage in a botched kidnapping attempt. The incident, according to law enforcement officers, prosecutors and the judge, was motivated by antisemitism. 

After Mohammad Comrie, 23, Faiz Shah, 23, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and received a custodial sentence of eight years and one month.

Eyal Kashti "was targeted due to his Jewish heritage," Judge Catherine Richards said while describing the incident as “chilling.” "He was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage."

The trio discussed the attack in a Telegram group, which included plans to extort the victim, who they believed to be wealthy because he was Jewish.

In one message shared with the court, an attacker wrote "All three of us have complete 100% faith in Allah so we can't fail."

They posed as representatives of Polydor Records to lure Kashti to an isolated cottage and attacked him there, leaving him with bruised eyelids, a cut to the sculp, a swollen nose and bruising to his back and legs.

After the assault concluded, the three kidnappers tied Kashti to a radiator, and threatened him with death should he try to escape. Kashti was eventually able to cast off his bindings and flee the cottage. 

Prosecutor Craig Jones said: "There was a clear political and religious motivation. In the discussions between the defendants they refer to him attending pro-Israeli marches in London and one of them said: 'I know this guy is involved in West Bank settlements, taking Palestinians land.'"

Kashti was quoted saying "As an Israeli, this incident felt like my own personal October 7.

I was kicked to the head several times, handcuffed to a radiator and forced to lie down on the floor. I was threatened and told if I were to try and escape, I’d be killed. The awful attack of 7th of October was flashing through my mind as I lay restrained on the floor in handcuffs."

"I can’t deny the strong and devastating impact this brutal and unnecessary attack has had on my life," he added.