Imam accused of recruiting for Isil on Youtube
Ben Farmer
James Badcock
A RADICAL cleric living in the West Midlands has been accused of using Youtube to recruit for an Isil terrorist cell based in Spain.
Tarik Chadlioui, 43, was arrested early yesterday in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham as police in Spain said they had seized four of his alleged associates in Majorca. A 28-year-old Spanish man was also arrested in Dortmund. Spanish authorities claim Chadlioui was a “well-known” radical cleric who recruited fighters for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) and acted as the cell’s “spiritual leader”.
An extradition hearing hours after his arrest was told he faced allegations that “could scarcely be more serious”.
Benjamin Joyes, representing Spanish authorities, told Westminster magistrates: “It is alleged that the requested person with several others gave support to Isil by means of propaganda and incitement of new members to join the organisation.
“He produced audio visual material for the recruitment of jihadists on his Youtube channel for indoctrination and posted symbols and banners for Isil on social media.”
The Moroccan-born imam has been living in Britain with his wife and eight children since 2015, after moving from Belgium.
Chadlioui, also known as Tarik Ibn Ali, is reported to have formerly preached at a Paris mosque attended by Omar Mostefai, one of the three gunmen who entered the Bataclan concert hall during a coordinated terror attack in the French capital in 2015 which killed 130.
Dressed in a traditional Arab robe and speaking through an Arabic interpreter, Chadlioui spoke only to confirm his name and address.
He was remanded in custody until another hearing next week.
Mr Chadiloui is fighting the extradition citing private life under article eight of the Human Rights Act.