POLICE are making an urgent appeal to trace an Iraqi man who is wanted for questioning about a murder in Hull and may be in the Dover area.

The murder happened in the early hours of Thursday, July 24, in Hull city centre.

A photograph of 19-year-old Tony Karim, who is an Iraqi asylum seeker, has been circulated to police and media across the country for help to trace him quickly. Tony is not thought to be his real name but one that he is known by.

He is wanted for questioning about the murder of refugee Sheik Mohamed, aged 29, who fled violence in his native Sudan about three years ago. He had been granted refuge in Britain and had been living in Hull for only three months.

On Wednesday July 23, Sheik Mohamed visited the Retro Bar on Jameson Street, Hull. From CCTV in the bar, he is seen for some time in the company of a man believed to be Tony Karim.

At about 1.30am on Thursday the CCTV footage shows two men, believed to be Karim and Sheik, leaving the Retro Bar and walking across Jameson Street. Karim returned to the bar a few moments later.

At 1.36am, CCTV operators contacted the police to report a man, later identified as Sheik, laid in a doorway opposite the Retro Bar. He died half an hour later in Hull Royal Infirmary.

A murder investigation was immediately launched and a post mortem revealed he had been violently assaulted.

Humberside Police have taken the unusual step of releasing a photograph of the man who is wanted for questioning. They say he could be in Kent, and may have links in the Dover area.

“The decision to release Karim’s name and photograph reflects our determination to establish the facts and catch the killer,” said Detective Superintendent Paul Davison who is leading the investigation.

“Sheik’s family and friends have travelled from across the country to meet me and have shown great courage and dignity in what is an extremely difficult time. For their sake we need to catch the person responsible.”

Anyone who knows where Karim is or where he might be is asked to contact Humberside Police urgently on 01482 326111, or Dover Police on Dover (01304) 240055.