Cult Leader Mehdi Zand on Cover of Gazette: "I am Your God. You Must Die..."

An article published on the front page of the Uxbridge Gazette newspaper can be found by clicking on the above image. It has also been copied below for convenience.

25 NOVEMBER 2009, UXBRIDGE GAZETTE

"I Am Your God. You must die..." - Terror of Cult's Victim

A MAN who was attacked for leaving a cult after being a member for 20 years has spoken of his ordeal for the first time.

The Rickmansworth restaurant owner, who is afraid of retribution and does not wish to be named, says he fears for his life after learning that one of his attackers could be released from prison this week.

Mehdi Zand, leader of the World of Yaad, a cult which claims to hold the secret to everlasting life, was jailed along with members Francesco Zand and Mohammed 'Javad' Kashefi for a total of 11 years, after attacking the restaurant owner and his business partner.

The victim told the Gazette how the men smashed their way into his restaurant, formerly known as Blue Fire, in Uxbridge Road, before pushing him to the floor, biting his face and calling him a traitor.

He said: "Mehdi Zand said to me, 'you have betrayed your god of 20 years', then he ordered the others to kill me. The whole experience has been deeply traumatic and I am seriously considering leaving the country to escape."

Six weeks after his attackers were sentenced, police told the victim that Mehdi Zand and Kashefi, both 48 and from Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, could be released early and placed on a curfew.

He wrote an impassioned plea to home secretary Alan Johnson, begging him to ensure they serve their full sentence.

A hearing last week ruled that Zand would not be freed early, however Kashefi could be released this week.

The 37-year-old victim is now on anti-depressants as he struggles to come to terms with the aftermath of the attack. He said: "Mehdi Zand was my martial arts master from my teens.

"I was a dedicated student but he became increasingly religious and I left after discovering abuses of his power over his religious devotees.

"He claimed partial ownership of my restaurant and used his influence over two of his hard line devotees to exact violent revenge on me. He had also been secretly brainwashing female followers and systematically sleeping with them.

"He was very charismatic and also took advantage of members financially. Some even re-mortgaged their homes to give him up to £100,000 each. He is a real crook, extremely devious and dangerous, but he paints himself as pious and holy.

"Most of the members have now chose to leave. We were naïve, easily influenced and impressionable, but we soon learned the truth."

Several former members have also contacted Inform, a charity which provides information about alternative religious movements, with their concerns about the World of Yaad and Zand's behaviour.

Have you experienced any problems with a religious cult? Email reporter Siba Matti at sibamatti@trinitysouth.co.uk

Cult Leader Mehdi Zand - New Press Release from Hertfordshire Constabulary Now Online

You can either click on the above picture for the official copy of the article or read the verbatim text below.

November 1, 2009

THREE MEN GIVEN COMBINED SENTENCE OF 11 YEARS FOR ASSAULT AND VIOLENT DISORDER

By Corporate Communication Dept

THREE men who threatened and assaulted restaurateurs in Rickmansworth over a long-standing dispute involving the restaurant and a religious movement, were sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday 25 September.

Mehdi Zand (pictured), aged 48, from Tower Hill in Chipperfield, Kings Langley, was sentenced after pleading guilty on 15 July to violent disorder.

Francesco Zand, aged 36, from Tower Hill in Chipperfield, Kings Langley, was sentenced after pleading guilty on Wednesday July 15 to grievous bodily harm with intent and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.

Mohammed Kashefi, aged 48, from Tower Hill in Chipperfield, Kings Langley, was sentenced after pleading guilty on Wednesday July 15 to actual bodily harm.

On Tuesday 11 November last year at about 5pm the trio forced their way into the Blue Fire restaurant on Uxbridge Road in Rickmansworth. The restaurant was locked and shut at the time.

They made threats against the two men in the restaurant over ownership of the business and the pair’s disassociation with a religious movement – The World of Yaad – of which Mehdi Zand is the leader.

During the incident one of the victims, a man from the Rickmansworth area, was injured by Francesco Zand. The man received considerable injuries to his face and has since undergone facial reconstruction.

The second victim, a man from North London, received minor injuries from Francesco Zand and Kashefi. He was also severely shaken by the incident.

Mehdi Zand was given a two-year prison sentence.

Francesco Zand was given a seven-year prison sentence.

Kashefi was given a two-year prison sentence.

Detective Sergeant Kevin Brown said: “This was a violent targeted attack on two individuals over both the ownership of the restaurant and simply because of the injured parties’ disassociation with Mehdi Zand’s movement.

“This attack was an extreme reaction to the situation and has had long term psychological and physical effects on the victims.

“The verdicts reflect that behaviour of this kind will simply not be tolerated in Hertfordshire.

“Should individuals attempt to take matters into their own hands to resolve disputes with violence, the consequences will be severe and harsh. You will very likely be given a custodial sentence.”