London police looking for ‘number of suspects’ in second attack on UAE family

Scotland Yard said a number of the suspects threatened an Emirati man and his wife in their west London flat before making off with a quantity of property.

LONDON // Scotland Yard said they are looking for “a number of suspects” following a second attack on Emiratis in the UK capital this month.

An Emirati man and his wife were threatened in their Paddington apartment in west London by a seven-member gang that broke down the door of the couple’s flat at about 1.30am, armed with guns, knives and hammers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

“A number of the suspects entered the premises and threatened the occupants before making off with a quantity of property,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said. “No one went to hospital.”

The robbers threatened the family and took their money, jewellery and credit cards, according to the state news agency Wam. One of the robbers threatened to shoot the husband after he removed the mask of another. The gang fled when they heard sirens.

Abdulrahman Ghanim Al Mutaiwi, the UAE Ambassador to the UK, said neighbours alerted police who immediately launched an investigation and found some of the stolen items.

Mr Al Mutaiwi stressed that the couple were fine.

The UAE Embassy in the UK is monitoring the situation on the orders of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The family has been moved to another location in London.

Scotland Yard said there is “no reason to think” that Tuesday’s burglary is related to the brutal hammer attack on three Emirati sisters in a London hotel April 7.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “People are in custody for the other job. In this case, it’s aggravated burglary. They just made off with some property.”

The spokesman also said the incident is not being treated as a hate crime.

In the April 7 attack, Ohoud Al Najjar, 34, lost her left eye and now has only 5 per cent brain function. Her sister, Khulood, 36, suffered two skull fractures, a broken left arm and a fractured cheekbone.

The third victim, Fatima, 31, has a fractured skull and a ruptured left eardrum.

Philip Spence, 32, appeared in court and was charged with three counts of attempted murder and one of aggravated burglary.

Thomas Efremi, 56, was charged with handling stolen goods and fraud by false representation, while James Moss, 33, was also charged with handling stolen goods.

The next hearing will take place at Southwark Crown Court on July 3.

* As a result of an editing error, the names of two of the three Emirati sisters attacked at the Cumberland Hotel in London were transposed in an earlier version of this article. Ohoud Al Najjar, 34, the middle daughter is in a coma, not Khuloud Al Najjar.