THE two brothers released without charge after the massive state terror operation in Forest Gate told a press conference yesterday how they thought they were being attacked by armed robbers.
They said they are hard-working young men who abhor violence and that the raid by around 300 police on their home in Lansdown Road had torn their lives apart, almost killing one of them.
Yet they had not even received an apology.
The press conference was also informed that, contrary to many false rumours that have been spread, the brothers have no criminal records.
Abul Koyair also said that, before the raid took place, he had applied to be a community policeman.
His wounded brother, Mohammed Abdul Kahar, had his arm in a sling and could only move very slowly.
He said: ‘I was woken up at about four in the morning by screams that I’ve never heard (before), my younger brother was screaming upstairs.
‘I got out of bed. I just had my boxer shorts on and a t-shirt.
‘As I opened the door it was all dark. I could still see his foot, from the stairs coming down, and I was hearing him scream so I took the lead, because I assumed a robbery was happening.
‘I was coming towards the passageway. I think at that time my brother was right behind me.
‘He was still screaming at that time and as I took the first step down the stairs I turned around to look at what was down the stairs, and as soon as I turned around I see an orange spark and a big bang.
‘I flew onto the wall. slipped down. I was on the floor. I saw blood coming down my chest and I saw the hole in my chest.
‘The first thing I was thinking is that an armed robbery is taking place.’
Mohammed added: ‘I heard them bringing my Mum out.
‘She was screaming and crying. I just thought: “They’re going to kill us’’.
‘I was just worried about my brothers. At that time I thought I was going to die.’
His brother Abul Koyair said he was handcuffed, placed on his knees and told to face the ground.
He continued: ‘There were about three officers with guns, surrounding me. They were pointing it at me.’
He said he asked an officer ‘Is my family okay?’
He added: ‘They were telling me to just shut up and don’t say a word.
‘My Mum was screaming “My son, my son’’.
‘I kept saying to the officers, “Please, tell me if my family is okay.’’ They would not answer me.
‘After that they put me in like a boiler suit.
‘At the time I didn’t realise what was going on.’
Mohammed continued that at hospital: ‘I was in pain, my whole upper body was burning, like I was on fire.
‘I was screaming, I was saying “Please’’.
‘Once I got into the hospital, I think they started to give me some morphine. The pain was just killing me.
‘I was shot through the chest and it came out through the back of the shoulder.
‘They kept me for only one day.
‘I begged them, “Please don’t release me” (from hospital).
‘I saw the officers were pressuring the surgeon to “get him out’’.
‘I had no choice. I couldn’t get out of the bed.
‘And they told me when I was leaving, “Do you want a wheelchair?’’ I made a choice to come out walking.
‘They took me to Paddington Green police station.
‘I fainted when I came out of the car.
‘They had to put me in a chair on the yard of the police station. It took me about half an hour to get booked in.’
Mohammed warned; ‘I don’t see this as the end. I think they will do it to family after family.’
