An Islamic State supporter who arrived illegally in Britain has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of disseminating terrorist publications. Mohammed Hamad, a Kurdish man, was convicted of sharing terror videos on the WhatsApp messaging platform.
On May 23rd, prosecutors heard how Hamad had come to the UK illegally from Iraqi Kurdistan in 2016, saying his life was in danger there. Once in Britain, he became a student of preacher Mulla Shwan—killed fighting for ISIS in 2015—who Hamad then claimed “joined” Islamic State after recruiting him.
Hamad was the fourth member of the same pro-IS WhatsApp group, set up in June 2022, to be sentenced. Each had sworn an oath that they faced decapitation if they betrayed the group. A video shared by another group member showed a shackled soldier on fire, with the caption:
It contains roasting. It is very tasty.
Hamad is now also subject to notification provisions of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 for 10 years. Presently, he does not face deportation on release, and his use of his ‘Western’ lifestyle as a glamourous, pro-LGBT barber in his defence was dismissed by the judge as a sham front.
