BRITAIN: The mother of an 11-year-old Somalian refugee who died after collapsing in a school dining hall, said last night she was "absolutely devastated".
Suhail Saleh died on Tuesday after an alleged incident at All Saints Secondary School in the Barmulloch area of Glasgow.
In a statement released through Strathclyde Police, his 29-year-old mother Samira said: "I am absolutely devastated and deeply upset at the loss of my son Suhail."
Earlier yesterday the Crown Office confirmed a 12-year-old boy held in connection with the Suhail's death had been released from custody.
The boy was released pending the result of further investigations by the procurator fiscal.
Speaking outside the school, headteacher Mr Tom McDonald recalled a "bright and lively pupil. Today has been a very difficult day in the school and I have been overwhelmed by the response of my children, my staff . . . "
Ash Wednesday services were held at the school in the Suhail's memory and prayers were read from the Koran as a mark of respect for the Muslim schoolboy. Pupils who required counselling received it from pastoral care staff, while support was also given by the local mosque.
Mr McDonald said it was a kind of incident which could happen at "any school, anywhere, at any time". He said: "It is not a question of racial tension. It is not a question of violence. It happened and that is unfortunate."
Suhail's family came to Scotland in 2000. He has two brothers, Mohammed (13), who is also a pupil at All Saints, and one-year-old Ahmed.