A SPEEDWELL man set “horrific” videos of ISIS terrorists beheading captives to music and shared them online, a court heard.
Faseh Sajid was still a teenager when he started using social media messaging app Telegram to ask for videos of mass executions, beheadings, soldiers fighting and celebrations, which he downloaded and edited, setting them to drill, hip-hop or techno music.
A raid on his family home in Green Croft by Counter Terrorism Policing South East officers in November 2022 led to the seizure of electronic devices which were found to contain “evidence of his extreme Islamist ideology”, police said.
Sajid, now 21, was arrested two months later after the devices had been examined, and charged with six counts of dissemination of a terrorist publication, under the Terrorism Act.
He was found guilty of five counts and not guilty of the sixth after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey in August, and is due to be sentenced at the same court on September 13.
False name used ‘to avoid getting arrested’
A Counter Terrorism Policing South East spokesperson said: “Officers found a large amount of material on the social media messaging app Telegram on Sajid’s mobile phone.
“He used the name ‘John Ross’ in his Telegram chats, stating in one of the chats that it was to avoid him getting arrested.
“Further investigation revealed that Sajid regularly shared material with other users on the chats and downloaded, edited, and created his own videos based on ISIS footage which he further shared.
“On the chats, he often requested specific videos and nasheeds (songs) related to ISIS, which he used to create his own videos.”
‘A large number of horrific videos’ shared
The court heard Sajid had also sent a video published by Al Qaeda’s media wing encouraging terrorism against the West, which included footage of the killers of solider Lee Rigby, members of banned group Al-Muhajiroun, pictures of the 9/11 and 7/7 bombings, jihadi fighters training and Osama Bin Laden.
The spokesperson added: “Evidence showed that he was also part of group chats with other members in which they shared graphic and extremist content with each other.
“The court also heard that Sajid posted videos on the chat which he appeared to have edited including montages of improvised explosive devices, executions by gunshot, beheadings and flag waving for ISIS, overlaid with drill music.”
The head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East, Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, said: “Sajid shared a large number of horrific videos, including graphic beheadings, ISIS footage and other content which reflected his extreme Islamist mindset.
“He attempted to cover his tracks in his social media messages but it is clear much of the material he sent could be defined as terrorist publications.
“The harm caused by sharing this type of content with others cannot be underestimated. It can be picked up by others and this dangerous rhetoric can then be spread far and wide.
“If you know someone who is sharing concerning content, it’s really important you report it to keep our communities safe.”
He encouraged anyone with concerns about someone they know expressing extreme views or hatred to call 101 or the website actearly.uk.