A Syrian refugee arrested in connection with the Parsons Green bombing is a “good guy” who “likes to smoke, meet girls, and go to clubs”, his cousin has claimed.
Yahyah Farroukh, 21, was arrested in a chicken shop over the weekend after a ‘bucket bomb’ partially exploded on a tube train, injuring around 30 people on Friday morning.
His Facebook page lists him as having worked for Dope Diamond Entertainment, a “nightclubs, comedy shows, and concerts hostess company” based in London, and BSQ London, another nightlife promoter.
Abo Zaid Fa, who lives in Greenock, Scotland, said he was shocked to hear his cousin was being held by police as part of the terror investigation into the attack.
He told The Sun that Farroukh “likes to smoke, meet girls and go to clubs”. He admitted he had not spoken to his cousin in a while, but said they had met last year, with Mr. Farroukh travelling to Scotland and Mr. Fa visiting London.
An image uploaded to Yahyah Farroukh’s Facebook page on the 5th of December 2015, showing him in what looks to be a nightclub.
He said: “Yes, he is my cousin. He is a good guy who likes to smoke, meet girls and go to the clubs. I don’t believe he is a terrorist.
“He came to visit me in Scotland last year for one week’s holiday and I have also visited him in London. But I haven’t spoken to him for a while. I don’t know anything about what is going on with the police.”
He added: “My family is very happy here in Scotland. My children go to the local school and they are very frightened by this. We don’t know anything and just want to be left in peace.”
Several Syrian migrant families were housed on Bute when they arrived in the UK. One islander, who did not want to be named, told the Daily Record: “Rothesay is a small town and most people are aware that the bomber suspect has been on Bute.
“Everyone is talking about it. He was here visiting friends. He came over on the ferry. There are a number of Syrian families who have come to stay here and there are no problems with them whatsoever.”
An 18-year-old Iraqi refugee, who was housed with foster parents in Surrey, is suspected of planting the Parsons Green bomb and is currently being held by police for questioning.
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