Police officer accused of supporting Hamas charged with terror offences

May 1, 2024 Article

A 26-year-old police officer is due to appear in court charged with terror offences over messages he shared on WhatsApp.

West Yorkshire Police constable Mohammed Adil is accused of two counts of publishing an image in support of banned organisation Hamas, watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct said.

The allegations are linked to messages that he shared on WhatsApp in October and November last year.

The IOPC said he was charged on Monday following an investigation by counter-terrorism police based in the North East.

Adil, who is based in Calderdale, is currently suspended.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

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Categories: Hamas, Mohammad Adil, News, Police Officer, West Yorkshire Police, WhatsApp

German police seek tips after arson attack on Oldenburg synagogue

April 14, 2024 Article

Police have launched an online portal seeking tips about an arson attack on a synagogue in the northern German city of Oldenburg last Friday that prompted widespread outrage.

An incendiary device was thrown at the front door of the synagogue. Two janitors at a neighbouring cultural centre discovered the fire and extinguished it. No one was injured, but the perpetrators managed to escape and have not been identified.

Police investigating the crime announced the portal for tips on Thursday, and added that videos and photos could also be uploaded to the site.

A reward of €5,000 (about $5,400) has also been offered for tips that help solve the crime and identify the perpetrators.

The incident made headlines nationwide in Germany and prompted expressions of outrage and horror from leaders.

On Sunday, about 400 people took part in a rally in Oldenburg organized by a local alliance against anti-Semitism.

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Categories: anti-Semitism, arson, Attack, Germany, News, Oldenburg, Synagogue

Asylum seeker accused of murdering pensioner ‘motivated by conflict in Gaza’

April 14, 2024 Article

An asylum seeker accused of murdering a pensioner in the street told police he was motivated by “the conflict in Gaza and to further his desire that Palestine would be free from the Zionists”, a court has heard.

Ahmed Alid, 45, denies murdering Terence Carney, 70, in Hartlepool town centre, as well as the attempted murder of his housemate Javed Nouri, and assaulting two female police officers who had interviewed him after his arrest.

Jonathan Sandiford KC, prosecuting, said Alid armed himself with two knives in the early hours of October 15 when he attacked Mr Nouri, who was asleep, at their shared house in Wharton Terrace, Hartlepool.

Alid shouted “Allahu Akbar”, meaning “God is great”, as he stabbed Mr Nouri in the chest, before he went on to fatally stab Mr Carney, who was out walking in the town centre, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Alid was already living in the accommodation when Mr Nouri moved there last summer and the defendant initially assumed he was a Muslim as he was keen on cleaning.

Mr Sandiford said Alid told him that “cleanliness was a sign of a good Muslim”.

But “matters changed” when Mr Nouri began to attend church and it became clear to Alid that he was a Christian convert “therefore, in the defendant’s eyes, an apostate who deserved to die”, Mr Sandiford added.

The housemates formed the view that Alid followed an extreme version of Islam, the court heard.

Mr Sandiford said: “The Crown does not have to prove a motive – a reason why the defendant attacked Mr Nouri and Mr Carney.

“However, there is evidence that the defendant had several motives for attacking Mr Nouri, one of which was also the reason why he killed Mr Carney.

“First, there was some friction between the defendant and Mr Nouri from living in the shared house.

“In particular, Mr Nouri had reported the defendant to the police and those responsible for managing their accommodation.

“Second, Mr Nouri was a Muslim who had converted to Christianity, and the defendant would therefore have regarded him as an apostate or ‘murtad’.

“Third, when the defendant was interviewed by the police, he initially thought that he had killed both Mr Nouri and Mr Carney.

“He said he had wanted to kill them because of the conflict in Gaza and to further his desire that Palestine would be free from the Zionists, by which he meant Israel.

“The defendant said he would have killed more people if he had been able to do so.”

The jury was told that Alid and Mr Nouri were asylum seekers living in Home Office-approved or provided accommodation, along with two others.

Housemates noticed Alid was paying particular attention to news coverage of the Hamas attacks on October 7 and had begun to carry a knife, the jury heard.

Alid allegedly began to threaten his housemates in the run-up to the attack on Mr Nouri, who was more powerfully-built than the defendant, and so not afraid of him.

Mr Nouri complained about Alid’s behaviour to housing managers and to friends at church.

Housing bosses warned Alid he would have to leave the house if his behaviour continued, Mr Sandiford said.

Friends at church advised Mr Nouri to tell police his concerns, which he did, but an officer advised him that no offence had been committed at that stage.

Those complaints provided Alid with more motive to attack Mr Nouri, the court heard, and at 5am on October 13 he broke into his housemate’s bedroom armed with two knives.

Alid stabbed him in the upper chest, near his heart, causing Mr Nouri to scream “What are you doing?”, the court heard.

He sustained further injuries to the mouth, thigh and calf while fighting him off, and one of the attacker’s knives snapped.

Mr Sandiford said: “Javed Nouri felt dizzy but managed to keep control of the defendant by using the headlock and holding his arm.

“He described the situation he was in as a nightmare, being attacked with a knife in the dark when he was sleepy, the defendant shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and, at first, no one from upstairs responding to his shouts for help.”

With the help of others, Mr Nouri eventually fought off Alid, who fled the property, the police arrived and he was taken to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough for treatment, the court was told.

The jury heard a 999 call made by a housemate in which shouts of “Allahu Akbar” could be heard.

The case continues.

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Categories: Ahmed Alid, Asylum seeker, Gaza, Israel, Javed Nouri, Palestine, Pensioner, Terence Carney

Calls to UK counter-terrorism hotline have doubled since Hamas attack on Israel

November 8, 2023 Article

Reports to a UK police counter-terrorism hotline have more than doubled since the Hamas attack on Israel.

Police said that between October 7 and 25 the anti-terror hotline received around 1,350 reports, more than twice the number of contacts compared to the same period last year.

The number of reports with information useful to investigators went up by nearly four times to 200.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “Sadly, history tells us that events overseas can inspire or accelerate acts of violence much closer to home. We are working day and night with our partners to monitor the threat picture.

“We’re acutely aware of the energising effect the conflict could have on those with extremist or terrorist intent.

“With that in mind, our Counter Terrorism Units across the country are reviewing their casework and checking that operational police activity is as effective as it can be to keep people safe.

“Critical to this work is the support of the public. As the increase in the number of reports to Counter Terrorism Policing in the last month shows, there is a real willingness from our communities to tell us about their concerns.

“To those who have contacted police, thank you, your information can have a huge impact on what we do.”

The national counter-terrorism squad that monitors material online has also seen a rise in referrals, with nearly 2,000 made by the public since October 7.

Of these more than 350 have been found to require further investigation to see if the content breaks terrorism laws.

Police are urging members of the public and businesses to remain alert to the risk of possible terrorist activity over Christmas and the New Year.

Mr Taylor added: “The coming months are filled with brilliant events and activities, where people will be coming together to enjoy the festive season.

“Sadly, we have seen before that terrorists can view these as attractive targets.

“Whilst we are working incredibly hard, with our partners, to make sure you can enjoy this time of year safely – our message is simple, stay alert and trust your instincts.

“Whether you’re a business, an event organiser, a local authority or simply heading out with family and friends, if you see something that doesn’t feel right, please report it.

“You won’t be wasting our time and you could save lives.”

Reports of suspicious activity related to terrorism can be made online at gov.uk/ACT or by calling 0800 789 321.

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Categories: Counter-Terrorism Hotline, Counter-Terrorism Police, Hamas, MET Police, Terrorists

Sunak announces £3m extra to protect British Jewish community after Hamas attack

October 12, 2023 Article

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced £3 million in extra funding to protect schools, synagogues and other Jewish community buildings in the UK in response to Hamas’ attacks in Israel.

The money will be given to the Community Security Trust (CST) after the group, which acts on the behalf of British Jews on matters of policing and racism, said it had recorded a 400% spike in antisemitic incidents in the UK since the weekend’s assault.

No 10 said the additional money will enable the CST to place additional guards at schools it supports and allow for additional security staff outside synagogues on Friday nights and Saturday mornings when Jews are marking the sabbath.

Mr Sunak said: “This is now the third deadliest terror attack in the world since 1970.

“The United Kingdom must and will continue to stand in solidarity with Israel.

“At moments like this, when the Jewish people are under attack in their homeland, Jewish people everywhere can feel less safe.

“That is why we must do everything in our power to protect Jewish people everywhere in our country.

“If anything is standing in the way of keeping the Jewish community safe, we will fix it. You have our complete backing.”

It brings the total funding for Jewish community protection security for 2023-24 to £18 million.

The CST said it had recorded 139 antisemitic incidents, including assaults, in the past four days — a 400% increase on the same period in 2022.

The King held a private audience with the Chief Rabbi at Buckingham Palace to personally express his deep care and concern for the Jewish community in the UK who are suffering grief, fear and anguish, the palace said.

Following the meeting, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, who also met with Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday, said the King’s words offered strength to the Jewish community “at this dark time”.

Mr Sunak convened representatives from UK policing and the Jewish community with ministers at Downing Street on Thursday for discussions on policing protests.

The roundtable, chaired by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, comes ahead of expected protests and marches taking place across the UK this weekend.

No 10 said specific guidance will be provided to police on the beat on where and when to intervene.

It comes after Mrs Braverman wrote to police chiefs this week saying that waving a Palestinian flag and chanting pro-Arab songs could amount to a public order offence if it could be deemed to be in support of terror atrocities.

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Categories: CST, Israel, News, Palestine, Rishi Sunak, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Suella Braverman

Minister wishes no revenge after bombers killed his mother and 19 relatives

September 21, 2023 Article

A minister whose mother and 19 other family members were murdered by terrorists a decade ago has told of how he was able to resist revenge.

Rev Aftab Gohar says he found peace through Jesus Christ after a double suicide bomber attack at All Saints Church in Peshawar, Pakistan on September 22 2013.

There were 122 people killed and 250 injured in the bombings.

The parishioners had just left the church for a meal in the grounds when the bombers struck.

Among them was Mr Gohar’s 79-year-old mother, Iqbal Gohar, as well as his nieces, nephews, cousins, uncles, aunts and friends.

The minister, who oversees Eddleston, Peebles Old Parish, and Stobo and Drumelzier churches in the Scottish Borders, said his relatives “died for their faith”.

Although Pakistan’s official religion is Islam, the country’s constitution gives citizens freedom of faith.

However, religious minorities are often attacked and the country’s blasphemy laws have been used to discriminate against non-Muslims.

Mr Gohar believes the law is used as a means to justify attacks, such as a number of church and house burnings in Jaranwala near Faisalabad, Pakistan, last month.

Open Doors, a charity that supports persecuted Christians around the world, ranked Pakistan in seventh place in its top 50 countries where Christian persecution is most rife.

Reflecting on the attack, Mr Gohar said: “It was a very hard time for us all and I was questioning ‘why did it happen to those who were very regular churchgoers?’

“Those who didn’t go to church on that day, did they do the right thing?

“The Bible says ‘when you are persecuted because of your faith in Jesus, you are blessed’. They all died for their faith.

“It was hard for me to forgive those responsible but with the strength of God I did so and freed myself from the extra burden of hatred and revenge.”

He added: “On the cross, Jesus prayed for those who were crucifying him: ‘Forgive them Father, they don’t know what they are doing’.

“Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ – a lesson that some people find impossible to follow.”

Last week Mr Gohar and a number of campaigners handed a petition to Syed Zahid Raza, consul general of Pakistan for Scotland and Northern Ireland, at the Consulate of Pakistan in Glasgow.

The petition called on Pakistan’s government to improve safety for religious minorities, and for the blasphemy law to include punishing those who destroy Bibles or burn down churches and homes.

Mr Gohar says he was inspired by Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker who helped Jewish people escape the Nazis during the Holocaust.

The minister commented: “She said ‘forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuff of hatred’.

“It is a power that breaks chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.”

The minister was ordained into the Church of Pakistan in 1995, having come to Scotland to study at the University of Edinburgh in 1998-1999.

He later came back to Scotland to work as a full-time minister in 2008.

Mr Gohar and his wife Samina and their two adult sons, Shahan and Zeeshan, are now British citizens.

Shahan married in Pakistan last year.

Mr Gohar says the loss of his family was felt strongly at the wedding.

Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Pakistan as they mark the anniversary of this horrific and unjustified attack on peaceful churchgoers.

“We are united in sorrow as we reflect on the impact this atrocity had on the families of the victims and survivors and sadly Christians continue to be persecuted today.”

She added: “The Church continues to engage with ecumenical and international partners on the misuse of the blasphemy law and we call on the government of Pakistan to redouble its efforts to protect minority groups.”

The Consulate of Pakistan in Glasgow was contacted for comment.

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Categories: attacks, Christians, church, Glasgow, Gujranwala, Jaranwala, News, Pakistan, Rev. Aftab Gohar, Scottish

AfD politician resigns from local council after daubing Nazi symbols

August 31, 2023 Article

A local councillor from the south-western German city of Baden-Baden has resigned from the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) after being accused of daubing Nazi swastikas on cars with Ukrainian licence plates.

The public prosecutor’s office in Baden-Baden had announced at the beginning of the week – without giving a name – that a councillor was suspected of defacing two cars with Ukrainian licence plates with the Nazi symbol and also writing the words “Fuck UA” in large letters on the vehicles.

The AfD faction in Baden-Baden announced that Martin Kühne had resigned from the party and his position as councillor.

“This closes the case for us,” the AfD party’s co-chair Markus Frohnmaier told dpa on Wednesday evening, after Kühne’s resignation.

Frohnmaier told dpa that people who did not act in the interests of the party had to leave it. He said the matter had been settled amicably at the district level, and the state-level party association had not intervened.

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Categories: AfD, Alternative for Germany (AfD), Nazi, News, Swastikas

University PhD student made drone to help Islamic State terror group, court told

August 23, 2023 Article

A University of Birmingham PhD student plotted to supply Islamic State terrorists with a drone capable of delivering a bomb or chemical weapon, a terror trial jury has heard.

Prosecutors allege Mohamad Al-Bared was designing and building the unmanned aerial device, found in a bedroom at his home, when he was arrested in January this year.

The 26-year-old mechanical engineering graduate, of Kare Road, Coventry, went on trial before a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

He denies a charge alleging he engaged in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts to benefit a proscribed terrorist organisation.

Opening the Crown’s case, prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC told the court: “His home was searched and police found a drone.

“They also found material suggesting this defendant supported Islamic State, a terrorist organisation.”

The court heard Al-Bared, who lived with his parents, was arrested while driving at the same time as the raid took place, and had a mobile phone which police also seized.

Al-Bared was studying for a PhD at the University of Birmingham, the court heard, and a 3D printer was also found at his home, which could be used to make parts for the drone.

Ms Heeley alleged that evidence gathered from devices said to belong to Al-Bared showed he was a supporter of Islamic State and that “this drone was being built” to help the organisation.

After showing the drone, which was contained in a large see-through plastic bag, to the jury, the prosecutor said it was of a type which has landing gear and a small digital camera.

“It had all the components required for it to fly,” Ms Heeley added. “We suggest it was being manufactured to deliver a bomb … to fly into IS enemy territory and deliver a chemical weapon or some other kind of device.”

During the opening day of the trial, Ms Heeley also alleged that Al-Bared had filled in an Islamic State application form and set up a UK-registered company to help plans for future foreign travel.

Ms Heeley continued: “He says he is not responsible for filling in the application form, but we say how else has it got there?”

Written material saying the idea for the drone was “somewhat inspired by the design of the Tomahawk missile” was put before the jury, in what the Crown claims was Al-Bared describing his build process.

Ms Heely said of the evidence found on an electronic device, which also included reference to fuses, mechanical detonators and an “explosive” head: “He is literally reporting back to someone about what it is that he is doing.

“What drone for legitimate use needs an explosive head?

“What does need an explosive head is a drone that has been designed on a missile.”

Ms Heeley told the jury: “That’s the real reason this drone is being built.

“That one sentence tells you what this case is about and why we say the defendant is guilty.

“The only reasonable conclusion you can reach is you can be sure that he was preparing for acts of terrorism.”

Al-Bared, whose PhD work involved laser-based micro-drilling, denies a single charge covering the period between January 1 2022 and January 31 this year.

The trial continues next Tuesday.

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Categories: Birmingham PhD student, Crown Prosecution Service, Drone, Islamic Sate, Mohamed Al-Barad, News, Prosecution, terrorism, Tomohawk missile

Muslim convert behind Hyde Park plot ‘pondered terror attack on Queen’s funeral’

July 17, 2023 Article

A homegrown terrorist considered launching a mass gun attack on the late Queen’s funeral after converting to Islam in prison, a court has heard.

Edward Little, 22, rejected the plan as “too late” and instead decided to target a Christian preacher at Speaker’s Corner in London’s Hyde Park, the Old Bailey heard.

He discussed his plans including his desire to get hold of a Mac-10 submachine gun and AK-47 assault rifle with extremists in encrypted chats on the Threema messaging platform.

At one point, he wrote: “I don’t think there has been an attack in the UK with guns so a semi-automatic rifle would send a even stronger message.”

On September 18 last year, Little identified the Queen’s funeral – due to be held at Westminster Abbey the following day – as a possible target.

It was suggested that “tyrants of the earth” would be there, to which Little responded: “I was just thinking that but unfortunately it’s too late.”

Days later, on September 23, Little was arrested en route to buy a gun for £5,000 having taken a taxi from Brighton to London.

Little, from Pelham Street, Brighton, pleaded guilty to preparing acts of terrorism and appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday by video-link from HMP Full Sutton in Yorkshire.

Opening the facts of the case against him, Duncan Penny KC said: “The defendant is an Islamic extremist who planned to murder the Christian preacher Hatun Tash at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park.

“The defendant planned to murder those who were with Hatun Tash, and any police officers or soldiers who were in the area.”

UK-born Little was said to have converted to Islam at Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution in Kent and at HMP Deerbolt in County Durham, after he turned 18.

Last summer, he downloaded extremist propaganda including copies of the al-Qaida publication Inspire.

In his chats on Threema, he referred to Hasham Tash as an “evil witch” and said he could shoot her “point blank” and “everyone with her”.

He suggested that with the money he had and his ability to get more weapons he “should strike a bigger target”.

He spoke of wanting to buy a Mac-10 “so I can spray it at them and then use pistol for police”.

But he added that the “problem with the macs is that they are too quick and it runs out very quik”.

Little said he would wear a camera so he could live-stream the attack.

On September 17, Little revealed that he “100%” had a “brother in prison” who would be joining in the “operation”.

He said he would travel to London for reconnaissance and see if it was best to “have us hit separate targets”.

On September 23, Little agreed to pay a taxi driver £300 to take him from Brighton to Lewisham, south London, saying money was no problem.

On his arrest, he was carrying a rucksack with £5,000 in cash, a passport and two mobile phones.

Little declined to answer questions in police interviews but his mood changed when he was shown a YouTube view of the preacher.

He launched himself from his chair across the table at an officer, swinging repeatedly with his fists before being restrained.

He went on to admit assaulting the officer at Newbury Police Station last September 28 and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

At the hearing on Monday, Little also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a fellow inmate at Belmarsh prison on April 3.

Little attacked the victim with boiling water mixed with sugar and two razor blades for “disrespecting” his religion.

The defendant had been convicted of 14 offences in seven separate cases, including for robbery, having a knife and drug dealing, dating back to 2017.

Mrs Justice McGowan adjourned sentencing to a date to be fixed for a report to be prepared on Little’s future risk and for him to be given the opportunity to attend court in person.

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Categories: Brighton, Hatun Tash, Hyde Park Corner, Muslim Convert, Queen Elizabeth, Queen's Funeral

OPINION: Home Office Needs to Publish the Prevent Review Now

January 2, 2023 Article

There have been numerous reports in the press lately suggesting that the delays to the publication of the Prevent Review by Sir William Shawcross hinges on whether groups and individuals should be named who have tried to undermine Prevent, taken monies and then been supportive of extremist groups or who have been quietly obstructive of the counter-extremism community based programme.

Whatever the reasons, the delay to the publication of the report gives the impression to those working in this area and to the wider public that the Government is not wholly focused on this area of work, is willing to play politics with such a key part of our collective safety and also somehow scared of calling out individuals and groups.

We are not interested in the debate about whether groups should be called out or not. If individuals or groups do support extremist groups and have received public monies, it is the job of the Government to seek redress or to seek to recoup the public monies in the public interest. That is the job of Government and one would hope that these actions would have been taken quickly.

What is of concern to us, is that a report is being withheld that has national significance, gives some direction to this programme of work and which also provides the public with a sense that the review has been thoroughly intense and looked at all areas of Prevent.

This is why we firmly believe that the Government must publish the review now. It has been delayed for over 4 months and delays simply make the review redundant over time. The time for politicking is over, publish the review.

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Categories: Government, Home Office, Prevent review, Sir William Shawcross