He said that even when he’s talking to another brother, he’s constantly on his guard. When he would phone he would be constantly distracted, continuously looking out in case something happened. The day that the solicitor went, he said “I can’t risk anything happening to you” and asked Omar to go into solitary confinement. So that same day he went into segregation. Even before the solicitor visited Omar, he told the prison’s head of security, “I’m putting you on notice that my client is having death threats and it’s your job to make sure he’s secure.” The security said “It’s not my responsibility unless your client makes a formal complaint.” So on that Tuesday Omar made a formal complaint.

Al-Istiqamah: Omar went voluntarily into segregation prior to the attack on Eesa Barot?

Mrs Khyam: Yes that’s correct. The prison was saying that they want names, but Omar didn’t have names to give them, and thus they said they were powerless. He had only been at the prison for a week, so how would he know the names of these prisoners?

Al-Istiqamah: With regards to the attack on Eesa Barot - just three days after the prison had been informed that death threats were made against Omar Khyam - did your husband hear from you that an attack had taken place on a Muslim inmate?

Mrs Khyam: Actually, we heard about it from Omar on the Saturday, the day after the attack. The men who attacked Eesa Barot were in a cell near my husband in segregation. He heard them loudly gloating about having attacked Eesa, shouting across to the other prisoners in nearby cells.

Al-Istiqamah: So obviously the guards were aware?

Mrs Khyam: Yes, it’s impossible for the news to have been shouted across the cells, and the guards not know about it. They are turning a blind eye to it.

Al-Istiqamah: And yet Eesa Barot’s solicitor wasn’t informed?

Mrs Khyam: No, she wasn’t. When Omar rang he kept saying for me to contact Ms Muddassar Arani - Eesa Barot’s solicitor - and find out if anything has happened to him. I couldn’t get through to Ms Arani, but on Sunday Omar rang with more details. He had heard the attackers boasting that they had thrown boiling hot oil and water on Eesa Barot and severely burnt him.

Al-Istiqamah: So it was you who informed Eesa Barot’s solicitor, rather than the prison officials?

Mrs Khyam: Yes, I managed to get through to her and told her to ring her client and find out about his condition. Ms Arani rang me back after having received a call from her client on Sunday, and she confirmed that what Omar had heard was exactly what had taken place. Eesa told her that they had also punched him in the face and as he wears glasses, the glass had smashed inside his eye, causing him to lose sight in that eye.

Al-Istiqamah: Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon. (Indeed to Allah we belong and to Him is our return). Truly, Allah tests His faithful servants.

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