'I give up': Sudanese dad-of-four 'weak' after racist arson guts Sandy Row tech business

A Sudanese father of four has been left feeling completely hopeless after his new business was torched in a racist arson on Sandy Row.

Mohammed Idris opened Bash Technology but a few months ago, but is now an empty shell - charred screens, blackened walls and and an acrid smell.

He moved there as things were going well at his city centre premises, and he wanted to expand this business that he started eight years ago.

Instead, he is left with nothing.

The lights are no longer working, so cameraman Alan and I were guided in with phone torches as broken glass crunched underfoot.

Mr Idris was understandably shaken as he talked us through the timeline of his ordeal.

He said he suffered a campaign of harassment in the weeks leading up to this final-straw incident that has forced him out of the premises that he had transformed into a tech shop and internet cafe hub.

Bin set on fire, paint on the door, a sign destroyed, broken windows.

This final straw, an arson that has destroyed the internet cafe, has left Mr Idris feeling at "his weakest" and considering his future in Northern Ireland.

"I give up, my family gives up.

"So we just need to find a place... anywhere," he said, explaining that he isn't sure if he feels safe or strong enough to stay here.

"We were happy. This is our home. Our children are born here.

"We loved Northern Ireland, but, unfortunately it is sad that love is gone now."

Although well embedded now, the Idris family was targeted shortly after arriving from Sudan to seek asylum.

While living in the Tiger's Bay area in 2014, a brick was launched through the front window.

Police said that this was being treated as a racially motivated hate crime, and UTV News interviewed Mr Idris at the time about the ordeal.

In 2017, he was still living in temporary accommodation after having to flee the property after the incident three years before, but since then, Mr Idris has bought his own home.

Almost 10 years on from the first attack, he is back before the camera, this time because his months old business on Sandy Row has been under siege since it opened in April.

Once again, police say they believe the fire at 3.35am on Friday morning was a racist attack. They are searching for two men, dressed in black, who were seen in the area before the incident.

Inspector Carey said: “Enquiries remain ongoing following a report of arson, which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime, at business premises in the Sandy Row area of south Belfast shortly after 3.35am on Friday 18 August.

“We are particularly keen to speak with two males who were seen in the area before the incident. The males, travelling on foot in the direction of Schomberg Park, were dressed in dark coloured clothing."

Meanwhile, Mr Idris is calling for more support for people like him.

"They need to have a strategic way to protect the businesses, the minority businesses for anything happen in case if something happens as these businesses need support, they need help.

"So we need, we need the help of the government to be around whenever a business is a victim," he said.

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