Sussex man jailed for encouraging violent terrorism
Main article content
Release courtesy of Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE)
A man who gave an uninvited speech at a mosque, in which he encouraged worshippers to commit violent jihad, has been jailed.
Abu Baker Deghayes of Arundel Drive, Saltdean in Brighton was found guilty of encouraging terrorism, under Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 following a trial at the Central Criminal Court on 19 January.
The 53-year-old was arrested and charged after making an unwanted speech, the contents of which encouraged terrorism, at Dyke Road Mosque in Brighton on 1 November 2020. In the speech he stated that committing Jihad was an obligation and he encouraged Jihad by the sword.
Today (21/4) he was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment with 1 year on licence, a total sentence of 5 years’.
Detective Chief Superintendent Oliver Wright, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE), said: “Deghayes used a toxic rhetoric that could radicalise others, but his destructive views were rejected by the community he was preaching to.
“In the speech he made, he was at risk of persuading others to take action and follow his extremist view of the world but, due to the diligence and awareness of the people it was directed at, his actions were reported, and he was subsequently convicted of this serious crime.
“It is vitally important that people have the courage to report their concerns to the police when they witness extremism being promoted in this way. We rely on those who see or hear this sort of messaging, to have the confidence to report it.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone within the community who supports and assist police officers during investigations of this nature. We can only fulfil our mission of keeping our communities safe by working together."
Sussex Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, Tanya Jones, said: “Abu Baker Deghayes’ corrosive ideology tried to sow division in the community.
“This sentence reaffirms our commitment, alongside our partners in Counter Terrorism Policing South East, to root out those who spread hateful, extremist views and bring them to justice.
“Brighton and Hove is a city famous for its inclusivity and acceptance and our officers have continued to carry out engagement work in the community to address any concerns.
“I would like to thank everybody who supported the investigation and helped to secure this conviction.
“If you have any concerns, please report them to us via the Sussex Police website, by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, please trust your instincts and ACT early.
You can report any concerns to your local police force by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency or you can visit the ACT early website, where you can also find more information about the signs to look for. This could be information about a change in behaviour of the people you know and love, discussion of extreme views or they are just acting differently.
By reporting to us, you could be saving lives.