A MURDER victim’s severed thumb dropped out of the sky three days after he had been snatched from outside his home and killed, a jury has heard.

The thumb, which was still attached to part of Mahmood Ahmad’s hand, landed beside an office building in Ilford, and is thought to have been dropped by a bird flying overhead, it was claimed.

Yesterday (Thursday) a court heard no other remains of the 40-year-old restaurant worker from Watford have ever been found by police investigating his killing, which the prosecution claim was the result of a family feud.

It is alleged that after being snatched by three men including his former brother-in-law, he was taken by car to an east London flat where he was tortured and then murdered by a gang.

Later it is alleged his remains were taken to a butcher’s business in Tottenham, north London and there cut up.

Stuart Trimmer, prosecuting, said “The section of the hand found was examined and the conclusion was that it was cut into that section above and below by a mechanical saw such as a band saw.”

The prosecutor added: “There is a CCTV image of this item falling from the sky because that’s what happened.

“How it came to be in the sky is unknown.

“It fell from the sky and fell into a car park.”

The following day, workers from a nearby office building realised it was part of a human hand and it was later identified as being from Mr Ahmad’s body.

The jury at St Albans Crown Court heard the man alleged to have been behind the kidnapping and murder in March was Mohammed Riaz, 33, of no fixed address, who had been married to the victim’s younger sister, Nahid Ahmad.

On trial with Mr Riaz are his brother Sharif Mohammed, 37, of Vista Drive, Redbridge, Faisal Chowdhury, 18, of Newham, Arnold Yousaf, 18, of Cann Hall Road, Wanstead, Amirzada Hussain, 37, of Churston Avenue, Plaistow, and Mr Riaz’s sister Sabra Sultana, 36, of Kiwi Terrace, Ilford.

Mr Riaz, Mr Chowdhury, Mr Yousaf, Mr Mohammed and Hr Hussain all deny murder.

Mr Riaz, Mr Chowdhury and Mr Yousaf also deny conspiracy to kidnap.

All five men along with Ms Sultana deny conspiracy to falsely imprison.

Mr Mohammed, Mr Hussain and Ms Sultana also deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.