Police stormed the headquarters of an Islamic cult in the United Kingdom, arresting an international group of suspects in connection with alleged sexual abuse and other crimes.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers raided the Crewe headquarters of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, a new age Islamic movement headed by self-proclaimed prophet Abdullah Hashem.
The operation was the “outcome of a detailed and robust investigation” into “reports of serious sexual offenses, forced marriage and modern slavery.”
A woman who was previously a follower of the Ahmadi religion is understood to have made allegations of rape and sexual abuse in 2023, launching the investigation.
Cheshire Police reported that nine arrests were made at the premises, including six men and three women. Those brought into custody included individuals from the United States, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Egypt.
AROPL has been operating out of the Webb House, a former orphanage in Crewe, where over 100 individuals are believed to be living in a commune.
Despite claiming roots in the Muslim faith, the Ahmadi religion is functionally unrelated to any orthodox practice of Islam. It blends new age beliefs, conspiracy theories, and an à la carte approach to theology into a denomination unrecognizable to any Abrahamic tradition.
Hashem, an Egyptian-American, founded the religion in 2015. He has simultaneously claimed to be a successor of Jesus Christ, the messianic Mahdi figure of Islam, and the true pope of Christianity.
Hashem recently invited President Donald Trump, “Emperor of the United States of America,” to join the Ahmadi religion, promising that he would “have an opportunity to be a great ruler.”
“He won’t have an opportunity to be pope, unfortunately, because I already claimed that,” Hashem told two of his followers in a podcast recording. “The person who claims it first is the true claimant.”
Cheshire Constabulary Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley told the public that the operation was an “investigation into the serious allegations which have been reported to us” and not an “investigation into the religion” itself.
“I would like to reassure residents that there is no risk to the wider community, and patrols have been stepped up to provide reassurance to local residents,” he said. “I would urge anyone with any concerns to speak to an officer.”
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Two other properties owned and operated by AROPL were raided by British police on Wednesday.
The organization maintains properties worldwide, including a U.S. headquarters in Reno, Nevada. Hashem is represented by regional “bishops” in other countries but maintains total control over the direction and governance of the faith.