Family's agony over gym killing

Jul 27 2007 By Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

THE brother of a man gunned down in a city gym three years ago has spoken of his family's devastation that the killers have still not been caught.

Sunday marks the third anniversary of the murder of Azmat Yaqub, 35, from Yardley who was working out in the Chic Physique gym, in Sparkhill, when two men burst in and sprayed him with machine gun bullets.

His younger brother Khuram Yaqub said that the family will not rest until his killers are behind bars.

He said: "We are devastated that no-one has been caught. We cannot move on.

"My parent's health has severely deteriorated since it happened and his child has been traumatised by the loss of a father.

"But it is not only important for us, but for the community as a whole.

"This was a cowardly attack carried out in a gym full of children. They will never forget that day."

Khuran paid tribute to his brother describing him as a 'loving, kind, and generous' person who was popular with young people in the community.

He said that the community had been very supportive over the last three years, but called on anyone with information about the murder to come forward and take the killers off the street.

DCI Neil Beechey, heading the murder inquiry, said that police are looking for that vital piece of information to bring about a prosecution.

He said that many pieces of intelligence had been gathered and followed up in the wake of the murder and of an appeal on BBC Crimewatch, but they still do not have enough to convict.

Police are particularly keen to hear from any regular visitors to the area who may be returning for the summer holiday and saw something that night three years ago.

"Somebody knows something in the community. We need those corroborating pieces of evidence. We need to jog people's memories," he added.

Appeals were yesterday distributed to the city's Muslim community attending Friday prayers at the Birmingham Central Mosque and Golden Hillock Mosque.

Officers are particularly interested in tracing the occupants of a light coloured 5 series BMW that was seen to leave the scene in Foremans Road moments after the shooting at 7.30pm on July 29, 2004.

The occupants are believed to be two black males and a white male.

The gunmen are described as: A white man, in his late 20s to early 30s, between 5ft 9ins and 6ft tall, of medium build with a thin face, very short hair, almost bald, and was clean shaven.

He wore a baseball cap, dark coloured clothing and black-framed glasses with oval shaped lenses, possibly sunglasses.

And a black man, in his late 20s to early 30s, between 5ft 10ins and 6ft tall, of slim to medium build, with short black hair and was clean shaven. He was wearing a black baseball cap, dark coloured clothing and black-framed glasses with oval shaped lenses, possibly sunglasses.

The BMW driver is described as a tall black man in his early 30s, of large build and clean shaven. He was wearing dark clothing and sunglasses.