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British Muslim teenager Shafilea Ahmed (at right) was 17 when she vanished in September 2003. Her decomposed body was found six months later next to a river in Sedgwick, Cumbria, 260 miles northwest of London.
Shortly before her disappearance, while visiting Pakistan with her family, she drank bleach rather than accept an arranged marriage.
An inquest into her death is now being conducted.
A TEENAGE girl whose badly decomposed body was found on a riverbank had most likely been smothered or strangled, an inquest has heard today.
Dr Alison Armour told an inquest in Kendal, Cumbria, it was "not credible" Shafilea Ahmed died of natural causes.
. . .
She was said to have told friends she was afraid she would be forced into marriage, the inquest heard.Police, who released song lyrics written by Shafilea which referred to a clash of cultures and her family's preoccupation with "honour", launched a murder inquiry when her body was discovered close to the flooded River Kent at Sedgwick, near Kendal, in February 2004.
Dr Armour said that the body was too decomposed to establish the precise cause of death.
Shafilea’s father Iftikhar Ahmed testified that he was “surprised” when she went missing.
Mr Ahmed, and his wife Farzana, 41, were arrested in December 2003 on suspicion of their daughter's kidnap but were never charged and have vehemently denied any involvement in the death.
Several other family members from the Bradford area were arrested on suspicion of interfering with the investigation but never charged.
The inquest continues.
[...] INQUEST into death of Muslim girl who refused arranged marriage …. [...]
Muslim teen sought help before she was killed…
Shafilea Ahmed, the British Muslim teenager who was killed after refusing an arranged marriage, told a government official that she was beaten and ripped off by her parents. An inquest into her death has heard that she applied for council housing…
British Muslim girl was murdered: Coroner…
A coroner has ruled the death of Shafilea Ahmed, the Muslim teenager who disappeared after refusing a marriage arranged by her parents, a homicide. Her decomposed body was found next to a river in February 2004, five months after she went missing…
UK Muslim leader “certain” Shafilea victim of honour killing…
The UK needs more courageous men like Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, head of Britain's Muslim Parliament, who has spoken out following a coroner's ruling that Shafilea Ahmed (at right) was murdered.
One of Britain's leading Muslims has called on…
Schools refuse to display forced marriage poster…
The British government is stepping up its campaign to raise public awareness of the issue of forced marriages, but schools in areas where the practice is believed to be prevalent refuse to go along. They’re afraid of offending parents.
See…