LONDON: A man accused of murdering an Ahmadi shopkeeper of Pakistani origin in Scotland's largest city Glasgow issued a statement Wednesday saying he attacked Asad Shah because he disrespected the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Shah, 40, was found with serious injuries outside his store last month and was pronounced dead at hospital. Police described the killing as “religiously prejudiced”.

Shah, who moved to Glasgow from Pakistan in 1998, had recently posted a message on Facebook wishing people a happy Easter, “especially to my beloved Christian nation”.

Tanveer Ahmed, 32, from Bradford in northern England, appeared at a preliminary court hearing in Glasgow Wednesday and afterwards issued a statement through his lawyer admitting his guilt.

“Asad Shah disrespected the messenger of Islam the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Mr Shah claimed to be a Prophet,” the statement said.

“If I had not done this others would and there would have been more killing and violence in the world.

“I wish to make it clear that the incident was nothing at all to do with Christianity or any other religious beliefs — even although I am a follower of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him I also love and respect Jesus Christ."

The legal process against Ahmed, who is being held in custody, will continue. The date for his next court hearing has not yet been set.

Ahmadis are a persecuted minority and are considered by many to be non-Muslims, often forcing them to flee to western countries.

The issue is most serious in Pakistan, where Ahmadis have been targeted for reading the Holy Quran, holding religious celebrations and having Quranic verses on rings or wedding cards.

Several Ahmadi families have moved out of Pakistan since 1974 which was when the country declared the community non-Muslim. But the group has become particularly vulnerable since 1984, when Pakistan passed laws forbidding them from saying or doing anything associated with Islam.