What began as a quiet spring morning in Cheshire escalated dramatically by 9am, as more than 500 officers launched a raid on the heavily guarded headquarters of a controversial Islamic sect. The target: Webb House, a Grade II-listed building that once served as an orphanage for children of railway workers killed in accidents. Since 2021, it has housed the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL), a secretive Shia sect that blends Islamic theology with conspiracy theories about the Illuminati and aliens controlling US presidents.
Allegations and Arrests
Police executed warrants following an investigation into serious sexual offences, modern slavery, and forced marriage. Nine people—six men and three women, aged in their thirties and forties and hailing from Mexico, the US, Spain, Egypt, Sweden, and Italy—were arrested. Additionally, 13 others were detained on public order charges unrelated to the main probe. The operation, supported by Europol, Swedish Police, and the Garda, stemmed from a March complaint by a woman in Ireland alleging rape and sexual abuse at the sect's headquarters in 2023.
Leader's Claims and Practices
Founder Abdullah Hashem Aba al-Sadiq, a former filmmaker who declares himself the new Pope and saviour of mankind, urges followers to obey him and contribute their salaries or sell possessions. Followers claim he performs miracles, including curing illnesses and making the moon disappear. Mainstream Muslim groups have distanced themselves from the sect. Residents reported intimidation by beanie-wearing security guards patrolling the £2 million compound.
Police Statement
Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley emphasized the investigation targets specific allegations, not the religion itself, and confirmed no wider community risk. The sect, previously based in Sweden, relocated to the UK in 2021 and currently houses 150 members, including children home-schooled with local authority approval.
