A respected imam has been caught by paedophile hunters near Flixton in Greater Manchester, England for allegedly trying to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex.
The 45-year-old religious leader, who is married and father of five was accused of travelling nearly an hour in the car to meet the boy while he was his mother was at work.
The paedophile hunters — 'Justice Will Be Served' posed as 15-year-old-boy on Grindr and later, filmed their encounter with the man who is an educational chief at a mosque.
As per the Daily Mail report, the imam, while planning the meeting online, allegedly said he would carry a folder with him to claim that he was there for work appointment in case anyone gets suspicious.
However, when he was challenged by the group, he denied the accusations. But, later said that he "could get killed" because homosexuality is against Islam.
As the paedophile hunters grilled him, he desperately tries to cover his face.
One of the hunters asked: "So, you're a Muslim and it's against your religion. Is it against your religion to be a homosexual?" He replied: "Yes, it is. I could get killed."
The hunter said: "There's nothing wrong with being homosexual, no. But you're saying to me it's against your religion to be homosexual. So, you do know it's wrong to meet, especially a child." To which he just replied covering his mouth that he could get killed.
The texts he sent to the made-up boy was read aloud by the hunters: "You keep asking me how much I want for sex. 'Need to know how much you want.'" They've replied back, saying: "I don't know, we can discuss that when you get here."'
To which he protested and said that he thought that the person would be 18. The hunters mentioned that he was told that the boy was 15 on numerous occasions. "You've brought cash with you today. You came here to meet him for sex, mate," they added.
They handed over the evidence to the police when they arrived and he was arrested.
A police spokesperson, however, said: "A 45-year-old man arrested on suspicion of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity has been bailed." He has been reportedly suspended from the mosque as well.
A spokesman for Justice Will Be Served said: "I personally have talked to one of his children and I'm horrified by how this has affected him. His life, his family's life has been ripped apart by the secret fantasies of a man who was meant to protect and provide for them."
