Shafi Saleem, a 34-year-old plumber from East London, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after sharing a video that glorified suicide bombings. The video was posted on the anniversary of the 7/7 terror attacks, and Saleem’s post was a 15-second snippet from a longer three-minute film.

Despite Saleem’s claim that the video was merely ‘pleasant poetry,’ it included a disclaimer suggesting it was for ‘research purposes’ related to understanding the mindset of individuals who fought for ISIS.

Saleem has a history of terror-related offenses. In 2018, he was convicted for using multiple social media accounts to spread ISIS propaganda and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Although he was released in 2019, he breached notification requirements by acquiring a mobile phone and accessing ISIS content, leading to a 10-month sentence at the Old Bailey.

Judge’s Remarks and Defense Arguments

During the sentencing, Judge Angela Rafferty criticized Saleem’s actions, stating that he admitted to holding extremist views and being radicalized by online content.

The judge emphasized the importance of notification requirements in ensuring public safety and dismissed the defense’s argument that Saleem’s actions were reckless rather than deliberate.

Defense attorney Shannon Revel highlighted the challenging conditions in prison, noting that Saleem was transferred to Belmarsh after an escape incident at HMP Wandsworth.

However, this did not affect the judge’s decision.

Additional Penalties and Investigations

In addition to the 10-year prison term, Saleem received an extra 12 months on extended license and will be subject to a 30-year notification requirement and a five-year serious crime prevention order.

Prosecutor Tom Williams detailed the extremist content in Saleem’s latest posts, including footage of suicide bombings with associated commentary.

An undercover operation revealed that Saleem had engaged with extremist content online and had previously expressed hostility towards non-believers.

Despite his claims of ignorance about the video’s content, the prosecution argues that Saleem was aware of the extremist nature of the material he was sharing.

Previous Criminal Record

Saleem’s criminal history includes a violent incident from when he was 16. In 2005, he was part of a group that attacked a bus carrying schoolchildren in East London, resulting in serious injuries to two victims.

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