Extremist Posts Busted: Munna Hamza Arrested by Met Police
The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command has smashed a wave of illegal online posts by Munna Hamza, 50, who urged terrorist attacks against the Bangladeshi government. His extremist rants have been silenced following a public tip-off and police probe.
Hamza Found Guilty of Encouraging Terrorism
Hamza was convicted today at Woolwich Crown Court on three counts of encouraging terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2006. The charges relate to posts made between September and December 2015, plus further messages in May 2018. However, he was cleared of one charge from a June 2018 post.
Met Commends Public’s Vigilance
Commander Richard Smith, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said:
“I praise the member of the public for alerting us to Hamza’s harmful, extremist posts. Thanks to them, we stopped further violent and terror-inciting messages that could have caused devastating damage.
“We take this extremist rhetoric extremely seriously and will prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law.
“I urge everyone to stay alert and report suspicious activity to police. Thousands of public reports every year help defeat the terror threat. If you see or hear something that feels wrong online or offline, trust your instincts and ACT by reporting at gov.uk/ACT.”
From Arrest to Court: The Investigation Unfolded
- On 17 May 2018, a public tip-off led police to Hamza’s May 16 post urging violence against Bangladesh’s Prime Minister and government.
- Five posts came under investigation, spanning 2015 and 2018.
- Hamza was arrested on 4 July 2018 at his south London workplace. Officers seized his computer, phones, and memory sticks for forensic analysis.
- He admitted publishing the posts and was bailed pending further inquiries.
- One June 2018 post was later ruled not guilty after detailed examination.
- Hamza faced four charges in January 2019; today he was convicted of three.
- He is due for sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court on 4 March.
The Met’s Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit confirmed the posts breached UK terrorism laws. With the public’s help and stiff policing, terror encouragement online faces tough consequences.
