Religiously motivated killer of Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah jailed for life

A taxi driver has been jailed for life after admitting he murdered Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah in a sectarian killing.

Tanveer Ahmed, 32, from Bradford, stabbed Shah outside his shop in the southside of Glasgow on March 24 because he “disrespected” Islam.

The 40-year-old businessman was an Ahmadi Muslim, a minority group persecuted for their beliefs in Pakistan.

His killer, a Sunni Muslim, was sentenced to a minimum of 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to the religiously-motivated murder during a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow last month.

READ MORE: Man admits to murdering Glasgow Muslim shopkeeper Asad Shah

At the same court on Tuesday, judge Lady Ray said: “This was a barbaric, premeditated and wholly unjustified killing of a much loved man who was a pillar of the local community.”

He was described as a peace-loving family man who went out of his way to show respect for those of any faith.”

Lady Rae said tolerance of others regardless of race or religion is essential in a law-abiding society.

“I note that with considerable concern that you have expressed no remorse whatsoever for this appalling crime,” she added.

While Ahmed was being led to the cells to start his sentence, he shouted in Arabic from the dock: “There is only one prophet.”

Shah had given a peaceful message of unity to Christians celebrating Easter hours before he was stabbed to death in Shawlands.

READ MORE: Muslim shopkeeper who wrote loving Easter posts stabbed to death in ‘religiously prejudiced’ attack

Ahmed previously claimed he targeted Shah because the shopkeeper posted videos on YouTube and Facebook where he allegedly claimed to be a prophet.

On the day of the murder, Ahmed traveled to Glasgow and showed a friend footage of Shah on his phone and said, “listen to this guy, something needs to be done, it needs nipped in the bud.”

CCTV footage of the attack showed him entering the shop and pulling out a knife before moving behind the counter to repeatedly stab Shah. When the shopkeeper managed to get outside, he was continuously stabbed and stamped on as he lay dying on the street.

READ MORE: Man admits to murdering Glasgow Muslim shopkeeper Asad Shah

His brother Athar Shah was unable to fend off the attacker who calmly walked to a nearby bus shelter where police found him.

Shah’s family had moved from Pakistan to Glasgow during the 1990s to escape persecution for their beliefs, according to the BBC.

Although no family members were present at the sentencing, a victim impact statement from Shah’s sister Attia said the family was in the process of leaving Scotland amid “immense pain and suffering.”

“Our pain goes beyond our vocabulary,” the statement said.

“We have tried, in an inevitably inadequate way to capture the feelings and emotions that no person should ever have to do.”