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Brian Sims
Editor
Brian Sims
Editor
A TERRORIST who used social media platforms including TikTok to encourage terrorism has been jailed for four years. Hamza Alam, aged 22, disguised himself before posting videos on TikTok. A number of his posts included hostile references to Jewish people alongside a video that encouraged viewers to attack and kill Jews following the Gaza and Israel conflict. Another post celebrated the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
One of Alam’s TikTok accounts, which was public, contained 126 videos that had amassed 31,000 likes. Alam also created a shareable folder which included Islamic State propaganda and videos complete with images of public floggings.
On 15 July at Woolwich Crown Court, Alam was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and a further year on licence thereafter. He was previously found guilty of three counts of disseminating a terrorist publication and one count of encouraging terrorism following a trial held at the same Crown Court, which concluded back in April.
Metropolitan Police Service investigation
Following an investigation conducted by the Metropolitan Police Service’s Counter-Terrorism Command into a Telegram discussion group, where Alam (from Chadwell Heath in Romford) had been one of its main contributors, he was arrested on 29 June 2022.
Alam’s phones were seized and investigators were able to uncover photographs in which his face had been superimposed onto Islamic State fighters, as well as warnings from TikTok moderators saying there had been multiple breaches of community guidelines (and that further breaches could result in account penalties).
Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter-Terrorism Division, said: “Hamza Alam used social media platforms including TikTok to discuss, share and spread his vile extremist views. He also recklessly shared material that glorified the commission, preparation and acts of terrorism.”
David added: “Alam thought that, by disguising his appearance and claiming he was merely an online librarian, he would not be caught out, but he was wrong. The prosecution case included mobile phone evidence encompassing TikTok videos and a clear warning from TikTok moderators on his account.”
In conclusion, David noted: “Posting such extreme and illegal material online poses a high risk of serious harm to the public through encouraging and inciting others into extremist activity. It’s only right that Alam has been brought to justice. The Crown Prosecution Service will always seek to prosecute such appalling online criminal behaviour in order to keep the public safe.”
Terrorism cases
The Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter-Terrorism Division prosecutes terrorism cases. It deals with other complex casework areas including allegations of incitement to racial and religious hatred, war crimes and crimes against humanity, official secrets cases, piracy and hijacking.