Police investigating an attack on Hull mosque leader Imam Hafiz Salik have released CCTV footage of three people they would like to identify.
Imam Salik, of the Hull Mosque and Islamic Centre, has been told he is likely to lose the sight in his right eye following the unprovoked attack in front of his family. It happened in Spring Bank West at about 10.30pm on Saturday, November 30.
He had been driving home to west Hull from his daughter's house in the city centre, with his wife and daughter in the car, when the attackers struck. Two men and a woman ran into the road close to the junction of Spring Bank West and Hymers Avenue, forcing Imam Salik to stop his car. One of the men then laid in front of the car, before climbing to his feet, opening the car door and punching Imam Salik in the face. The group then fled.
The video released today shows two men and a women walking in nearby Princes Avenue, west Hull. Detective sergeant Craig Nicholson said police did not know at this stage whether the group was involved in the attack.
He said: "As part of the investigation we have been studying CCTV and have now produced some footage which shows a group of two men and a woman walking along Princes Avenue on the night of the assault. We do not know at this stage if they are connected in any way to this incident, however, we are keen to identify them as part of our investigation and eliminate them from our enquiries if appropriate.
"We would ask that the individuals, or anyone who knows who they may be contacts us on our non emergency number 101 quoting crime reference number DT/2012411/13. Anyone with information they think is relevant to the enquiry should also contact us on the same number."
The man who punched Imam Salik is described as white, 5ft 6in tall, well-built and aged 25-30. He had short brown hair and was wearing a dark stone-coloured jacket, shirt and trousers.
Officers have said they are not treating the attack as racially motivated because it was unlikely the culprit could have seen Imam Salik's skin colour at the time of the assault.
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