UK police arrest 10 in raid on religious sect over allegations of modern slavery, forced marriage, sex crimes

London – About 500 British police officers raided facilities linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) group on Wednesday morning, arresting ten people on suspicion of various crimes including modern slavery, forced marriage and sexual abuse.

Police from north-west England executed warrants at three addresses, including AROPL’s headquarters in Crewe, Cheshire, during the operation. Seven men and three women have been taken into custody, according to a statement from Cheshire Police.

The police said they found out in March about the allegations made by a woman who was previously involved in serious crimes of sex, forced marriage and modern slavery which are said to have happened in 2023. All of the arrests are related to allegations made by the woman, police said.

Those arrested include two American men and one woman, two Mexican men, a British man, an Italian woman, a Spanish man, a Swedish woman and an Egyptian man, police said.

“Today’s operation is the result of a detailed and rigorous investigation,” said Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley of Cheshire Constabulary. “Although those arrested are members of a group, I want to make it clear that this is not an investigation into this religion, this is an investigation into serious allegations that have been reported.

The U.S. Embassy in London did not respond to CBS News’ request for comment about the Americans arrested in the raid.

AROPL did not respond to CBS News’ request for comment.

Lawyers representing the group told The Guardian: “Our client has no comment other than to say that there is no wrongdoing.”

What is AROPL?

The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is a religious movement based largely on Messianic prophecy mixed with conspiracy theories. It is associated with the Shiite branch of Islam but is considered heretical by most Muslims.

In 2015, the sect’s Egyptian-American leader Abdullah Hashem claimed to be the Mahdi – an Islamic messianic figure comparable to the Second Coming of Christ. He also said that he is the true pope and follower of Jesus Christ.

Decades before he founded AROPL, Hashem was a documentary filmmaker whose work covered the UFO-based religion Raelism, and was involved in the production of an online documentary that sought to legitimize Illuminati conspiracy theories through Islamic scripture.

AROPL’s doctrine, which is unconventional, distinguishes it from mainstream Muslim beliefs. Followers are not obliged to perform Islamic prayers and drinking alcohol is permitted.

Federal and local authorities in some Muslim-majority countries have taken action against AROPL, including the formal banning of the organization in Malaysia, and the charging and arrest of members in Egypt and Algeria. Local media said the sect’s headquarters in Crewe had security guards working around the clock.

In his manifesto, Hashem encourages followers to create a “news machine” to spread the faith – a call that seems well heeded if the organization makes heavy use of social media.

The videos show members who say they believe Hashem can cure deadly diseases, make the moon disappear and turn leaves into living animals.

About 150 people live in the Crewe headquarters, a Grade II listed building that was once an orphanage, including 56 children, according to The Guardian newspaper, which said they were home schooled.

AROPL moved its headquarters to the UK in 2021 from Sweden, where immigration authorities had revoked the residence permits of many of its members. This group criticized these measures as discriminatory persecution.

It was previously based in Egypt and Germany.