Woman Busted for Online Hamas Support
Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command slammed online terror sympathisers. He said: “Showing support for a terrorist organisation is a criminal offence. We take it seriously – whether it’s online or in the real world.”
Sara El-Houssein, 23, from north west London, was caught red-handed after posting images linked to Hamas on social media. She was found guilty on 12 July at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for supporting a proscribed terror group, breaching section 13(1A) of the Terrorism Act 2000.
How Police Nabbed Her
The investigation kicked off on 17 October 2023 when a public tip-off alerted the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) to suspect posts praising Hamas. Specialist officers thoroughly assessed the content and flagged it as potential terrorism offences.
Further detective work tracked down the user behind the account. El-Houssein was arrested on 2 November 2023 and released on bail. She was charged in March and is now due to be sentenced on 20 August.
Met Police Vow Zero Tolerance on Terror Online
Detective Rees added: “Any content referred to us will be carefully assessed. Where offences are identified, we will investigate and take action.”
The CTIRU works closely with service providers to remove extremist material before it can do harm. If you spot any suspicious posts, report it immediately at www.gov.uk/act.
What Is the CTIRU?
The Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit is a specialist Met unit dedicated to hunting down and removing terrorist and extremist content online. They partner with internet companies to keep Britain safe from online radicalisation and turf out terror propaganda.
