Junaid shot with rare adapted gun

MURDER victim Junaid Khan may have been shot dead with a rare converted gun, a court has heard.

The 21-year-old shopworker, of Cotton Mill Crescent, Oldham, was shot 16 times in a car park in Chadderton in 2009.

Four men – Milad Finn, Naveed Shabir, and brothers Kashif and Liaquat Khan – are accused of teaming up to kill the victim after a long-running feud.

Firearms expert Andre Botha told their Manchester Crown Court trial that markings on cartridges recovered from the scene suggested the weapon could have been fired by a deactivated gun that had been adapted to fire bullets. Mr Botha told court that there is a trade in such weapons by collectors.

Deactivated guns have had essential parts removed to stop them from firing bullets. But, the court heard, ‘backstreet engineers’ can fit new barrels.

The prosecution say that the murder weapon is likely to have been a Mac-10 machine gun.

Two cartridges of the same brands and calibre as those used in the shooting were recovered from a commemorative teapot at Milad Finn’s home. However, the court heard these bullets were not ‘rare’ and could not be linked to the weapon that killed Junaid as they were unmarked.

The court heard that impact marks from the scene suggest the gunman fired down at Junaid as he lay on the floor.

In a report, Home Office Pathologist Dr Naomi Carter concluded Junaid died following severe blood loss caused by multiple gunshot wounds. Later, the jury heard a bulletproof vest was recovered from the home of Liaquat and Kashif Khan.

Liaquat Khan ( 29) and Kashif Khan (26) of Worcester Street, Oldham, Naveed Shabir ( 28) of Coppice Street, Oldham, and Milad Finn (23) of Lauriston Close, Wythenshawe, deny murder.

Milad Finn also denies perverting the cause of justice.

(Proceeding)