By Mark Tanos
British police arrested six members of a fringe religious sect Wednesday after launching a massive dawn raid over allegations of sexual abuse, forced marriage, and modern slavery.
More than 500 officers from Cheshire Constabulary and neighboring forces descended on three properties in Crewe, England, linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL), according to The Telegraph. The operation centered on the group’s headquarters at Webb House, a former orphanage. Authorities said the allegations involve one female victim who belonged to the sect when the offenses allegedly took place in 2023.
The suspects include four men and two women holding American, Mexican, Italian, Spanish, and British nationalities, ITV News reported. All six are still being held while officers search the properties. (RELATED: Alabama Police Charge Girls Basketball Coach With 32 Sex Crimes)
“Today’s operation is the outcome of a detailed and robust investigation into reports of serious sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery involving members of a religious group called Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Crewe,” Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley of Cheshire Constabulary told The Telegraph. “While those arrested are members of the group, I want to make clear that this is not an investigation into the religion, this is an investigation into the serious allegations which have been reported to us.”
Officers also identified 56 homeschooled children tied to the sect and established welfare centers to protect them, GB News reported.
The AROPL is a Shia-derived movement founded by Abdullah Hashem, an Egyptian-American who claims he can make the Moon vanish, according to The Telegraph. The group fuses elements of Shia Islam with conspiracy theories involving the Illuminati and extraterrestrials supposedly controlling American presidents. Hashem recruits followers through YouTube and TikTok. The sect insists 99 percent of every religion is wrong, LBC reported.
The group operates in roughly 40 countries and has drawn law enforcement scrutiny well beyond Britain, according to LBC. Members have faced arrests in Algeria, Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, and Azerbaijan in recent years.
The Daily Caller has reached out to the Cheshire Constabulary for additional comment.
