Muslim teen jailed for five hours for possessing 4cm Zulfiqar pendant

The family of a Muslim teenager arrested and held in custody for almost five hours for being in possession of a pinky-sized Zulfiqar sword-shaped pendant has said they are considering taking legal action against Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for an “unlawful arrest.”

Ryme Zaidi, of Stretford, Manchester, and his 17-year-old friend were returning home from college when they were stopped and searched by the GMP Transport Unit.

Ryme was arrested for wearing a religiously symbolic pendant, which is particularly popular among Shia Muslims. Ryme, believes the officers were “looking” for a reason to arrest them.

“My pendant is blunt, 3 or 4 cm long, and tugged inside my hoodie”, he said, adding that many of the white commuters were not stopped, leading him to believe he was racially profiled.