Councillor's gun arrest ordeal

Coun Mazher Iqbal, Sheffield Council's cabinet advisor for safety, was stoppedwhile travelling in a taxi along Birley Moor Road, Frecheville, with five friends.

Armed officers with police dogs ordered the group out of the car and told them they were under arrest.

Among the group was 28-year-old Mohammed Hafiz, a Labour candidate for the Nether Edge ward.

"When we were stopped we were actually out helping MP Clive Betts with some leafleting," said Mohammed.

"Suddenly we were surrounded by guns and police dogs and officers shouting.

"I was absolutely terrified."

The men - Mohammed, Mazher, Irfan Khan, 25, Javid Khan, 27, Vakaf Khan, 23, and 24-year-old Imran Khan - were split up and taken to two different police stations after being arrested on Thursday evening.

Three were taken to Bridge Street police station and three, including Coun Iqbal, were taken to Moss Way station.

The men assumed they had been mistaken for terrorists - but they later found out it was an alleged robbery at Park Hill Flats.

Coun Iqbal was arrested, then released without charge, twice - once for the robbery and for a public order offence.

He said: "I was arrested at gunpoint with five friends and I was kept in custody and released without charge.

"This was a case of mistaken identity.

"Chief Supt Jon House, District Commander for Sheffield, has apologised to me and my colleagues. While I understand that the police have to follow up all lines of enquiry, I am very concerned about the way I was treated.

"I was arrested twice on unfounded charges."

Coun Iqbal has already had a meeting with senior police officers and says he intends to meet with them again in two weeks.

"It was absolutely terrifying," said Irfan.

"I am still terrified now just thinking about it. I have never been in trouble in my life and all of sudden I was surrounded by guns and dogs."

Mohammed added: "We were detained for about four and a half hours and in that time I don't think they even asked us our names."

"If this is the way they treat the city's councillors I dread to think how they treat everyone else - it is worrying."

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: "Three men were arrested on suspicion of robbery at Parkhill Flats.

"Following further inquiries they were all released without charge.

"Subsequently, one of the three men was involved in an altercation with police officers and was arrested for a public order offence. He was later released without charge."

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Video: See Chf Supt Jon House give his views on gun crime in Sheffield. Click here