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Detectives in Swansea say they are confident
they will track down the "racist" murderer of an
Iraqi Kurd.
Kalan Kawa Karim, 29, died in hospital on Monday
after the "unprovoked" attack outside a pub in
Swansea's city centre.
Witnesses have come forward with information about
the attacker, who is white and in his early
twenties.
A councillor and the former head of the Commission
for Racial Equality in Wales have reassured local
people that the incident is "isolated".
Police officers are studying CCTV footage taken in
the busy Kingsway area at the time of the assault,
outside The Potter's Wheel pub, at around 0130 BST
on Monday.
Police are still trying to locate members of Mr
Karim's family.
Mr Karim had lost a leg below the knee. It is
believed he had stepped on a landmine in Iraq when
the country was controlled by Saddam Hussein.
He is thought to have moved to Britain from Iraq
with his parents and settled in the Mount Pleasant
area of Swansea.
A post-mortem examination was being carried out on
Tuesday.
The man heading the inquiry, Detective Chief
Inspector Layton Bennetta, said they were confident
of finding the attacker, who was with two other
white men, also in their early 20s.
"We've good descriptions. We've CCTV that we're
looking at. We have witnesses that have come forward
who can identify the attacker again," he said.
"I would ask that this person to come forward and
gives us his version of events.
"And also the persons that were with him, if they
would also come forward so that we can eliminate
them from any involvement in this crime."
Ray Singh, the former head of the Commission for
Racial Equality in Wales, said: "If what the police
say and believe is true, that this was a
racially-motivated shortening of a young man's life,
then we as a society must make a sober reflection of
what has yet again happened on our doorstep.
"We must be honest with ourselves and say 'enough is
enough, expose racism amongst us, educate our young
ones to ensure that they know racism is wrong."
But Mr Singh said Swansea was a "vibrant,
multi-racial society", including many asylum
seekers, Iraqis and Bangladeshis.
"The public should be reassured that the city is not
on the whole racist," he said.
"Of course, people will feel frightened. But I would
say this 'Be reassured that the police are treating
this as a racial attack".
Swansea councillor David Phillips, who represents
the Castle Ward in which the murder took place, said
members of the ethnic community there must not get
it out of proportion.
"Yes, members of the ethnic community in Swansea
might feel frightened by this.
"But they must be reassured that both the wider
community and the police are keen to ensure their
safety."
Anyone with information is asked to call the
incident room at Cockett Police Station on 01792 456
999 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555
111.
http://news.bbc.co.uk
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