The Convert and The Supermodel

London Mirror / Lucy Thornton And Graham Brough | August 12 2006

ONE of the Muslim converts arrested in the liquid bombs plot raids is the half-brother of former supermodel Heather Stewart-Whyte.

Art student Don Stewart-Whyte switched to Islam as his sister forged a glamorous and successful career parading the catwalks in lingerie for firms including Victoria's Secret, Versace, Armani, and Chanel.

But Heather has never met her 21-year-old brother, who converted and changed his name to Abdul Waheed six months ago after marrying a Muslim girl.

Their dad was former Conservative Party agent Doug Stewart-Whyte. He and his wife Hilary split up when Heather and her sister were young. The two girls stayed with their mother. Doug later met Don's mother Dorothy. He died nine years ago of cancer.

Friends of the suspect, one of 24 arrested after raids in London, High Wycombe, Bucks and Birmingham, told how he never got over his father's death.

One said: "It really messed him up big time because he idolised his dad.

"I knew him when he joined the Christian church and he told me about trying to kill himself and had scars all over his wrist.

"He just cried about it all the time. Maybe he got involved in the Muslim faith because it is like a big family and he wanted his back."

Stewart-Whyte, who lives with Dorothy in Hepplewhite Close, High Wycombe, was said to have converted to Islam after turning his back on drink and drugs.

Another convert Ibrahim Savant, 25, is an accountant who lives at who lives at Alkham Road in Stoke Newington, East London, with his pregnant Muslim wife Atika Sidyot - who was also arrested - and her family.

He was born with the Christian name Oliver but changed it when he switched to Islam after meeting Atika a few years ago.

Retired restaurant owner Samru Meah, who was invited to the wedding, said: "The Sidyots are a very pious family and it was common knowledge at the local mosque that Atika was marrying a pale-skinned 'new Muslim'."

Atika, who is eight-months pregnant, had recently moved to Denver Road, Hackney, which was raided by police. Neighbours claimed she was led away in handcuffs.

Residents also said they had only seen her husband at the property once, when he arrived carrying cardboard boxes.

Suspect Umar Islam turned to the religion after marrying a Muslim woman about three years ago who had his child. The 28-year-old was born Brian Young in a family of Christians who lived at Chairborough Road, High Wycombe.

Dad Lemuel Young said he did not even know his bus conductor son, who no longer lives with him, had been held.

He added: "I haven't spoken to him for some time. I don't know where he lives."

Islam's mum Sylvia said: "I don't believe this."

Brothers Nabeel Hussain, 17, Umair, 24, and 22-year-old Mehrain were arrested in Hackney, East London.

Nabeel lived with a group of youngsters in Royston Gardens and worked in the administration department at nearby St Anne's Hospital.

He recently travelled to Pakistan, but a friend said: "He took his gran who is elderly. It was a simple as that. It was a holiday." The brother's dad Fazil wept yesterday as he declared: "My boys wouldn't hurt a fly."

He added: "When the police came to my house, we thought our children had been in an accident.

"They then shouted at us to get out of the house because they said there was dangerous chemicals on the property. There is no doubt in my mind they are innocent."

Brothers Assad Sarwar, 26, and Amjad Sarwar, from Walton Drive, High Wycombe, are from a "humble, god-fearing family". The pair are both married and are regular visitors to the Islamic Education Centre nearby Totteridge.

One suspect held in Walthamstow, East London was a trainee probation officer. Avid Chelsea fan Assan Abdullah Khan, 21, is doing a degree at the University of Hertfordshire while working. His brother Abdula Ahmed Ali, 25, was also held along with his wife Cossor Ali, mother of a six-month-old baby.

On shocked friend said: "Assan is a probation officer trying to help people in the community, not trying to kill them." Khan, of Banbury Rd, worked for Ilford Probation service who last night were unaware of his arrest. Suspect Tayib Rauf was held in Birmingham. Police are probing claims his brother Rashid was the Mr Big behind the liquid bomb plot to blow up holiday jets over America. Rauf was said to "live for Islam".

His parents, Abdul and Salma, are said to be devout Muslims and his mother follows a strict Islamic dress code.

Heathrow security worker, Amin Asmin Tariq, 23, who lives at Ravenswood Road in East London was on his way to work when he was arrested. He has worked at the airport for three years.

The youngest of those held is Abdul Muneem Patel, 17, who married his childhood sweetheart Sofia Kapadia just a few months ago in Hackney. Football-mad Liverpool fan,

Waheed Zaman, 23, is a biochemistry student whose dream was to become a doctor. He was due to sit his final exams in two weeks time.

The president of the Islamic Society of Metropolitan University in London, he was described as an excellent role model and an "ideal Muslim" who is a "Londoner first and a Muslim second".

The student who lived with his parents in Queens Road, Walthamstow, worked part-time at Hamley's toy store in the capital. Jobless Shamin Mohammed Uddin, 35, was seen leaving with police from his home at Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, on Thursday.

Pizza shop worker Muhammed Usman Sad-dique, 22, was held at Albert Road, Walthamstow, where he lives with his parents, two older brothers, their wives and two young children. The family has lived there since 1978. A neighbour said: "He's the only one with a traditional Muslim beard. He worships at the mosque."

Builder Mohammed Anwar, Waheed Arafat Khan, 25, and Osman Adam Khatib, were all arrested in Walthamstow.

Disabled Akil Kapadia was, held nearby and taken away in his wheelchair.

Wasseem Kayani, 29, was arrested in High Wycombe as was suspect Shazad Khuram Ali. His family admitted he recently went to Pakistan recently but added: "He's no fundamentalist."

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