British man who made a stabbing gesture guilty of encouraging jihad by sword

A man who made a stabbing gesture as he called for jihad “by sword” at a busy Brighton mosque has been found guilty of encouraging terrorism.

Abubaker Deghayes, 53, was convicted at the Old Bailey following a trial.

He addressed about 50 worshippers, including children, at the Brighton Mosque and Muslim Community Centre on 1 November 2020 after evening prayers.

The judge said he was considering immediate custody for Deghayes, who will be sentenced on 25 February.

Deghayes, from Saltdean in East Sussex, was bailed with conditions to stay at his home address on an electronically monitored curfew. He was told to report to a police station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

He has been instructed to surrender his passport and not apply for travel documents, and not to attend the Brighton Mosque mentioned in this case.

Judge Nigel Lickley said: “Because of the offence you have been convicted of I must have in the forefront of my mind an immediate custodial sentence.”

Prosecutor Ben Lloyd told the jury Deghayes had said “jihad is fighting by sword” and was compulsory.

In a video of the speech played to the court, Deghayes said: “Whose power is more powerful than us? Allah is more powerful than you.

“You, idiots. You kuffar (non-believers)… The non-believer is an idiot. He’s stupid.”

He went on to say: “Jihad, jihad, jihad. Jihad is compulsory. Jihad is fighting by sword.

“That means this jihad is compulsory upon you, not jihad is the word of mouth but jihad will remain compulsory until the Day of Resurrection.”

Mr Lloyd had told jurors that the speech was not given “innocently or naively”.

In August 2018, Deghayes, the father of two teenage boys who were killed fighting in Syria, was jailed for attempting to intimidate a witness in a court case against him.

Another son, Abdul, was killed by a convicted drug dealer in February 2019.

Source: BBC News