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Man Admits Hiring Undercover Police Hitman For Shooting

20th November 2009

An Edinburgh businessman has admitted paying a "hitman" to shoot and cripple his cousin by knee-capping him during a family feud.

Mohammed Javid Iqbal was caught after failing to realise the proposed gunman was an undercover police officer.

Iqbal, 44, admitted inciting the police officer known as "Phil" to assault his cousin Atta Mohammed in July 2003.

He appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh where sentence was deferred on him for a background report.

He was remanded in custody.

Iqbal had told the officer if the job was done right he would not mind paying a £1,200 fee and later gave him a £400 deposit.

During meetings with Phil, at Dalkeith Country Park and at Midlothian Snow Sports Centre, he identified the planned target and agreed a price for the attack.

Advocate depute Morag Jack, prosecuting, said police received confidential information that Iqbal was trying to find someone he could pay to assault and seriously injure Mr Mohammed, rather than do it himself.

Ms Jack said the intelligence was considered reliable and a genuine threat and a covert operation was launched aimed at protecting the intended victim and securing an arrest.

Iqbal, a property manager and private hire car firm owner, was originally due to stand trial in 2004 following the police investigation, but failed to turn up at the High Court after being granted bail.

Land dispute

On 11 July in 2003, Iqbal met the undercover officer for the first time at the country park and their conversation was tape-recorded.

Ms Jack said: "He indicated that he wished this person's kneecaps done and that he be crippled."

Iqbal went on to reveal it was Atta Mohammed he wanted hurt and wrote down his name and address and supplied information about his movements.

Five days later the pair met up again and Iqbal said he wanted the target "done in the legs".

Iqbal was detained by police two days later and said for the past two years relations with his stepmother and his father had become strained due to a dispute over family land in Pakistan.

Defence solicitor advocate Jim Keegan QC said Iqbal realised the seriousness of the matter.

Source; news.bbc.co.uk

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