Anti-Assad Imam Shot Dead In London, Mosque Feud Suspected By Police

A Syrian imam from West London, who was also a staunch opposer of Syrian president Bashar al Assad, has been found shot dead in a car in the British capital. Abdul Hadi Arwani, a preacher at the An-Noor Mosque in Acton, west London, was found sitting in a dark-colored Volkswagen Passat car with a gunshot wound to his chest on the morning of April 7.

An air ambulance was called but Arwani, who is believed to be in his late 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene, reported Sky News. A post mortem examination will be launched into Arwani's death in due course, said the Metropolitan Police. "At this very early stage detectives retain an open mind regarding the possible motive," said a police spokesman.

The An-Noor Mosque has been accused of hosting several radicals, including the son of radical preacher Abu Hamza. Terror suspect Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed is also believed to have taken refuge in the mosque, dressed in a burqa, in 2013.

According to a police source, a possible feud at the mosque could have driven the murder.

Arwani, known for his criticism of the Syrian president Bashar al Assad, studied in Jordan and moved to the UK where he taught in Slough and West London, according to the London College for Islamic Studies.