London Woman Guilty of Supporting Hamas Online
Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command hit out: “Supporting a terrorist organisation is a criminal offence. We take it seriously—whether it’s online or face-to-face.”
How She Got Caught
The case began when suspicious posts were flagged to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) back in October 2023. Specialist officers quickly deemed the posts could breach terrorism laws and launched an investigation.
They traced the account to 23-year-old Sara El-Houssein from north west London. She was arrested on 2 November 2023 and later charged with publishing imagery that suggested support for Hamas, a proscribed terrorist group.
Convicted and Awaiting Sentence
El-Houssein was found guilty on 12 July at Westminster Magistrates’ Court under section 13(1A) of the Terrorism Act 2000. She will be sentenced on 20 August.
Rees added: “Any content referred to us will be carefully checked. Where offences are spotted, we act immediately.”
Spot Terrorism Online? Report It!
If you see extremist material online, report it straight away at www.gov.uk/act.
Quick Facts:
- CTIRU is a national Counter Terrorism Police unit responsible for online referrals.
- El-Houssein’s arrest followed a public referral in October 2023.
- Police continue to monitor and investigate online terrorist content.
