Sulphuric acid forced down man's throat

Two men are charged with attempted murder after a man was stabbed, beaten and had sulphuric acid forced down his throat during an apparent honour attack in London.

Two men have been charged with attempted murder after a man was stabbed, beaten with bricks and had sulphuric acid forced down his throat during an apparent honour attack in East London. The victim, a 24-year-old Danish man who is reported to be Muslim and of Asian origin, is suspected of having had an affair with a married British woman who is also Muslim with Pakistani roots.

The teenager and a 25-year-old man who appeared in court on Thursday are relatives of the woman who has since been warned her life may be in danger, according to reports. The attack happened in the early hours of July 2 in Leytonstone, north-east London. The acid destroyed the victim's tongue and badly damaged his throat tissue. He suffered 50 per cent burns to his body and face and was stabbed twice in the back. The bricks left fractures to his face. He remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

Seven men were originally arrested, although five were released on bail. One of them, a 16-year-old, was rearrested yesterday as the two charged men were detained in custody. They will appear in court to face the charges on Sept 30. London's Metropolitan Police said it was keeping an "open mind" as to whether the incident was an honour attack. A spokesman said yesterday that "it will be a line of inquiry". Police believe there may be as many as 12 honour killings in the UK every year and many more attempts. Between 2007 and 2008, the police ordered 75 Osman warnings in London - the name given to a report that someone's life is under threat.

Mohammed Khaleeq, from the Pakistan Association of Dubai, said: "If anybody is attacked by anyone else I condemn it. No human has the right to attack another human independent of religion, faith or background. Mr Khaleeq said the honour attacks claimed to be done in the name of religion are "simply not allowed in society". "It is true that Islam does not allow illicit relationships of any kind between men and women who are not married and any good Muslim would like to defend that. However it is parents' responsibility to raise our children in a way to follow our religion in the correct way. If they go out and do things our religion doesn't permit it is our fault.

"I have great sympathy with the victim and his family," he added. [e-mail]