Members of UK Islamist sect arrested on suspicion of rape and slavery

(SeaPRwire) –   Over 500 police officers raided a compound belonging to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light group

More than 500 British police officers have conducted a raid on the headquarters of an Islamic sect in Cheshire. Nine members of the so-called Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, described as a fringe Shia-inspired movement that relocated to Britain from Sweden in 2021, were arrested.

Cheshire Police stated that the investigation commenced in March 2026 after officers were alerted to allegations of serious sexual offenses, forced marriage, and modern slavery. These alleged offenses reportedly occurred in 2023 and all involved a single victim, a woman who was a member of the group at the time.

At approximately 8:50 am on Wednesday, officers executed three search warrants, including one at Webb House, a former orphanage that serves as the sect’s headquarters. According to Cheshire Police, six men and three women of American, Mexican, Italian, Spanish, Egyptian, and Swedish nationalities were detained.

The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is a secretive movement established in the late 1990s by followers of Shia Islam. It is believed to operate in over 40 countries and claims approximately 7,000 adherents.

The group had previously faced scrutiny in Sweden, where immigration authorities issued deportation orders against 69 of its members before its move to the UK in 2021. It is also understood to be under investigation by the Home Office regarding its use of skilled worker visas. The group has denied any wrongdoing.

The operation at Webb House follows a series of similar cases. In February 2026, a former imam in east London was convicted of 21 charges, including rape of children under 13, sexual assault, and assault by penetration, stemming from his exploitation of his position as a spiritual guide. In 2023, a Shia cleric in Birmingham was also imprisoned for sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman who sought him out for “spiritual healing.”

The raid also occurs amidst ongoing pressure on the British government to address the issue of grooming gangs, where men, predominantly of Pakistani origin, have systematically raped thousands of vulnerable young British girls over the past two decades.

In June, Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized a new national inquiry into the matter. In London alone, police are reviewing approximately 9,000 child sexual exploitation cases, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 involving grooming gangs.