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Oct 25 2005 | |
A police inquiry still has failed to find any evidence to substantiate an allegation of rape which sparked rioting in Birmingham. A statement released by West Midlands Police said officers had uncovered no evidence "to either confirm or deny the allegation" or to identify the 14-year-old girl said to have been attacked. The wide-ranging statement said the force and its partner organisations were continuing to actively engage community representatives to provide reassurance and address community issues arising out of the rumours of an attack. The statement read: "Police have been actively investigating this allegation since being first alerted to it on October 12 by an anonymous caller. "Several lines of enquiry have been followed up, but at present there is no evidence to either confirm or deny the allegation or to identify the victim or people believed responsible. "Any new information that will assist the police in either progressing this enquiry or bringing it to a conclusion is still sought." Fierce clashes on Saturday saw an innocent bystander, 23-year-old Isiah Young-Sam, knifed to death by a gang of up to 11 thugs, and a further 32 people remained in hospital on Monday. The trouble, centred on the Lozells area and involving Asian and black youths, followed a meeting held at a church in the area to assure the community about the rumoured sex attack. The hotly-debated claim is that the girl, an illegal immigrant, was raped by several men after being caught shoplifting from a store owned by Asians. The owner of the shop at the centre of the rumours has rubbished the allegations, claiming they were spread by a pirate radio station. | |||
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