One of the key pieces of evidence in favour of the argument that Mr Shaikh is a sadly deluded figure, is a pop song he recorded called "Come Little Rabbit". Reprieve released the song in the hope that it would help convince the Chinese judiciary of his fragile mental state and halt his execution. Before he left for China, Mr Shaikh recorded the song, which he was convinced would bring peace to the world.
Among other possibly delusional moves, Mr Shaikh wrote emails to US and British officials calling himself a millionaire and a messiah. He moved to Poland several years ago, where he intended to set up an airline, which he was in no position to do. While in Warsaw, he wrote the song with a man named Carlos, who said he knew a producer in Kyrgyzstan who could help.
Mr Shaikh had no experience of singing in public before he headed to China, and campaigners say he was tricked into carrying the suitcase in Kyrgyzstan by the "producer", who was working for a criminal gang for whom he unwittingly carried drugs.
