Muslim TV channel founder arrested for wife's beheading

New York, Feb. 15 (ANI): The founder of a New York based Muslim TV channel, which was launched in order to counter the violent images of Muslims worldwide, has been arrested for his wife's brutal murder.

Forty-four year old Muzzammil Hassan has been charged with second-degree murder after his wife's beheaded body was found at Bridges TV office in a village of Orchard Park.

On Thursday, Hassan came to Orchard Park Police Headquarters saying that his wife was dead. Hassan told police that his wife was at the television station, Buffalo News reports.

As detectives continued to search for the murder weapon on Friday, they refused to divulge further details on the Aasiya Z. Hassan's murder case.

However, friends of the couple expressed deep shock over the incident.

"I am totally stunned. They were really more than married - they encouraged each other in everything," said Samira Khatib, a friend of the couple.

"It was Aasiya Hassan who encouraged her businessman husband to launch the cable channel. Aasiya was such a lovely person," she added.

In a bid to dispel stereotypes of Muslims as terrorists, Hassan launched the cable TV channel in 2004, which was under financial strain, said Khalid J. Qazi, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council of Western New York.

But he didn't see signs of that business strain spilling over into the Hassan marriage.

"I cannot believe it. I cannot get a handle on this," Qazi said.

Aasiya Hassan had filed for divorce and obtained an order of protection on February 6, barring her husband from their home in Orchard Park, police said.

"There had been problems before. There had been prior incidents of physical abuse," said Corey Hogan, Aasiya Hassan's lawyer said.

Hogan said discussions were being held about continuing arrangements for the couple's two children, ages four and six, and two older children, ages 17 and 18, from Muzzammil Hassan's previous marriage. (ANI)