A Primark security guard has been jailed after posting Islamic State (ISIS) propaganda videos, including one clip in which he appeared masked with a knife. Luqmaan Ahmed, 24, posted the video in 2022 while awaiting sentencing for encouraging people to fight in Syria for a proscribed terror group affiliated to Al Qaeda when he was a teen.
Court hears of 'horrific' clips
Manchester Crown Court heard Ahmed made a far-fetched claim that he intended to attract an audience of ISIS sympathisers and then try to turn them away from terrorism. But a judge said he found that claim "difficult to see" and Ahmed was convicted of three charges of encouraging terrorism following a two-week trial in July.
Ahmed was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, not including a one-year extended licence period. On release he will be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order under the Terrorism Act for 10 years.
Investigation and sentencing
Afterwards Det Chief Supt Jonathan Chadwick, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Northwest, said: "People posting this type of material can bring fear and distrust among our communities."
"Today’s sentencing reaffirms Counter Terrorism Policing’s commitment to making sure that those who pose a risk to our society will be pursued and prosecuted."
"Our dedicated officers and staff, through extensive investigation have once again ensured that Luqmaan Ahmed has been brought to justice and is now facing over three years in prison."
Details of the propaganda posts
Prosecutor Alex Du Sautoy told the court on Monday that Ahmed, who has a previous conviction for encouraging terrorism, was awaiting sentence when posting an ISIS propaganda video on Instagram on September 16, 2022. The clip featured ISIS fighters in combat fatigues carrying guns with captured prisoners and an ISIS flag waving in the background. It was 'liked' 17 times. The propaganda video remained online until it was finally removed by Instagram two months later.
He also published two Instagram 'stories', which only remain online for 24 hours, showing executions and suggesting support for the proscribed terror group. The first dated November 2022 showed ISIS fighters, scenes of execution and violence as well as an ISIS flag. It was said to have generated 179 'follows'. After his Instagram account was closed, Ahmed opened another and he posted another 'story' on July 15, 2023 which featured a series of still images and text.
He appeared in one image in woodland wearing a balaclava holding a large knife with what appeared to be an ISIS flag in the background. It also featured a woman and a child and another man with a gun who was said to be encouraging watchers to fight non-Muslims, the court heard. The second story also featured execution scenes and generated 165 'follows'.
Mr Du Sautoy said the clips Ahmed posted were "encouraging violent actions that would endanger life" while the defendant was "potentially targeting" an ISIS audience. The video he posted and the first 'story' were published while on bail awaiting sentence for another offence of encouraging terrorism while his second 'story' was published while he was serving a community order for the crime.
Defence and judge's remarks
During his trial, the jurors were told that on other occasions Ahmed posted material online which was against ISIS. Andrew Morris, defending, said Ahmed, of Rusholme, Greater Manchester, believed his faith gave him an "obligation" to turn people away from "radical Islamism".
Judge Alan Conrad KC said the three "horrific" clips were "directed to an audience online whom you believed to be sympathetic to Islamic State" of more than 100 followers on Instagram. Judge Conrad added he found it "difficult to see" the defendant's case that he was trying to turn people away from extremism. Judge Conrad continued that the defendant "knew what he was doing was wrong" but he found that there was "no evidence of terrorist mindset on your part".
Noting the defendant's previous conviction for encouraging terrorism, Judge Conrad said: "I find these offences are so serious that only immediate custody can be justified."
Previously, in December 2022, Ahmed was handed a community order and 150 hours of unpaid work for posting similar material in 2018 when 16. He and another youth had posted propaganda videos made by "armed militia" opposing the Assad regime in Syria on Instagram. He was said to have become obsessed with the war in Syria following the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.
He had allegedly been encouraging others to join and fight for Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, a proscribed organisation affiliated to Al Qaida, and for disseminating numerous pro-jihadist training videos via his Instagram and WhatsApp accounts. The judge in that first case - Judge Patrick Field KC - said it was "vanishingly unlikely" that the pair would have ever travelled to Syria, and he accepted that a homemade propaganda video they produced was actually quite "pitiful". The judge added of the video: "If these offences were not so serious, I would say laughable."
