A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been found guilty of terrorism offences after using the bizarre phrase 'I'm a jacket potato' as a coded signal to a banned neo-Nazi group.
PC Hussain Chehab, 22, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court for belonging to the proscribed far-right organisation Fascist Forge and for possessing terrorist material.
The Coded Communication
The court heard how Chehab, who was based in North London, used the innocent-sounding phrase as a covert identifier. He posted a photograph of himself in full police uniform to the extremist group's online forum with the caption: 'I'm a jacket potato'.
This was revealed to be a secret code verifying his identity to other group members, demonstrating his deep involvement with the organisation.
A Double Life Uncovered
Chehab, who joined the Met in 2021, led a double life. While serving as a police officer sworn to protect the public, he was simultaneously an active participant in a banned terrorist group.
Detectives from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command uncovered his activities after finding his account on the extremist forum. Evidence showed he had:
- Accessed detailed manuals on producing firearms and explosives
- Engaged with extreme right-wing ideological material
- Maintained active membership in the proscribed organisation
Shockwaves Through Scotland Yard
The conviction has sent shockwaves through the Metropolitan Police Service, already under scrutiny over cultural issues and standards. A Met spokesperson stated that they were 'appalled' by PC Chehab's actions.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, emphasised that 'there is no place in policing for anyone with such appalling views'.
Chehab has been suspended from duty and will be sentenced at a later date. The case raises serious questions about vetting procedures and extremist infiltration within UK police forces.
