NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS OF TERRORISM -2024

A, a young man of good character, who was remanded into custody for over 14 months, was unanimously acquitted of three terrorism charges following a 3-week trial at Winchester Crown Court.

Instructed by Amer Ahmad of JD Spicer Zeb, Sultana Tafadar KC (No 5 Chambers) led Soraya Bauwens (Furnival Chambers).

A faced three counts of disseminating terrorist publications over social media between February and May 2023.

The Crown alleged that A had deliberately used social media to encourage acts of terrorism and provide assistance in the commission of acts of terrorism through the dissemination of a fitness manual, videos of fighters in combat glorifying martyrdom and a video of a foreign fighter calling on others to join with a view of encouraging Muslims to fight.

The trial involved in depth examination of several key issues including:

Geopolitical and historical issues around the legitimacy of conflicts in Afghanistan (1980s), Bosnia & Chechnya (1990s) and Ukraine (Present).  

The history and legitimacy of the mujahideen and Muslim foreign fighters across these conflicts;

Western support in these conflicts/ proxy wars against Russia and the commission of human rights atrocities in these conflicts.

Issues around Islamic law and the rules of jihad regulating the conduct of foreign fighters engaging in combat to protect civilian lives in those conflicts;

Cultural and linguistic issues including the use of nasheeds and Quranic verses; the marginalisation of young Muslim men post 9/11; as well as the impact of Islamophobia and surveillance of Muslim communities;

Legal arguments around admissibility evidence and on the definition of a terrorist publication under s2 of the Terrorism Act 2006

Extensive alleged "mindset" evidence suggesting that SS had been radicalised online by anonymous ISIS and Al-Qaeda supporters through messages, nasheeds, documentaries, voice notes and internet searches.

Reliance on "high tech" evidence to infer "mindset".

The Defence instructed 5 experts to deal with these issues.

After approximately 4 hours of deliberation, the jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all counts.