Imam: ‘Martyrdom better than school’
IS supporter hate preacher is jailed
CRIME: A British hate preacher who told children that martyrdom was better than school has been jailed for sixand-a-half years for supporting the Islamic State terror group.
A BRITISH hate preacher who told children that martyrdom was better than school has been jailed for six-and-a-half years for supporting the Islamic State terror group.
Imam Kamran Hussain, 40, was secretly recorded by an undercover officer making a series of radical sermons over four months last year.
After he was arrested, the defendant argued the ability to discuss “difficult concepts in a challenging world” was an essential part of religion and claimed he was exercising his right to freedom of speech.
But following a trial at the Old Bailey, Hussain, from Tunstall, Staffordshire, was found guilty of two charges of supporting IS and six of encouraging terrorism on dates between June and September last year.
Mitigating, Michael Ivers QC said his client was no Anjem Choudary, the high profile and influential preacher who was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2016 for drumming up support for IS.
Before the trial, no-one had even heard of Hussain who preached at a very small mosque, he said.
Sentencing, Judge Rebecca Poulet QC said he had preached “hatred and division”.
His encouragement of terrorism and support for IS was “calculated and intentional” at a time of “terrible terrorist incidents”, she said.
Judge Poulet said: “In my judgment these sermons represented serious and persistent although frequently indirect encouragement to acts of terrorism.”
Hussain’s Friday lunchtime speeches at the charity-funded mosque in Tunstall High Street, Stoke-on-Trent, were in front of around 40 worshippers, often including children as young as 10.
On September 2 last year, Hussain talked about martyrdom to a congregation of nine children and 35 adults.
Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse QC said: “Mr Hussain told his audience that martyrdom was the supreme success and was greater than any other success, such as school or college.”
He continued on the same theme on September 16 and criticised the Prevent programme, aimed at identifying and intervening when young people are at risk of radicalisation, jurors heard.
At a meeting on August 19 last year, there were up to 15 children present and 25 adults as he gave a sermon about “kuffar” or nonMuslims, the court heard.
Hussain was said to have blamed the British Government for creating the English Defence League and funding them to “insult” Muslims and put them down.
He also claimed far right group Britain First was a “Governmentbacked project”, jurors heard.
On June 24 last year, Hussain referred to IS in his sermon as “a small fledgling state who is standing in the face of a pompous and arrogant army”.
Just eight days after the Nice terror attack last July, Hussain called for Sharia law and the “complete destruction” of oppressors.
The court was told Hussain had one previous conviction in 2008 for perverting the course of justice at Stafford Crown Court for which he was handed 14 months in jail.
Pakistan-born Hussain, who wore a black-and-white embroidered prayer cap and black hooded top, had been imam at the mosque for six years. He made no reaction as he was sent down.
Mr Hussain said martyrdom was the supreme success. Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse QC.