Police officer pleads guilty to two terror offences after 'sending WhatsApp messages supporting Hamas'
2 May 2024, 13:13 | Updated: 2 May 2024, 16:09
A police officer has pleaded guilty to terror offences over messages supporting Hamas he sent on WhatsApp.
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West Yorkshire Police PC Mohammed Adil, 26, shared two images in support of Hamas - a banned group in the UK.
He will be sentenced on June 4 at the same court.
Adil shared the images on his WhatsApp stories, which could have been seen by 1,092 contacts. He was reported by his colleagues.
Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said he was charged following an investigation by counter-terrorism police based in the North East.
Adil shared messages on his WhatsApp stories in October and November last year that showed a Hamas fighter wearing a Hamas headband, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard from prosecutor Bridget Fitzpatrick on Thursday morning.
The image posted on October 31 included a quote from the leader of Hamas's military wing, Mohammed Deif.
The quotation read: "Today is the time for the Palestinian people to rise, set their paths straight and establish an independent Palestinian state."
An image shared on November 4 read "We will hold accountable all those who occupied our lands and Allah will hold accountable all those who remained silent against this occupation and oppression."
This was said to be from Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for Hamas's military wing.
Two of Adil's colleagues reported to their superior officers that they had viewed images posted by Adil on his WhatsApp stories which caused them "concern", the prosecution said. Adil had 1,092 contacts on his WhatsApp at the time who would have been able to access the images for 24 hours, Ms Fitzpatrick said.
Adil, who lives in Bradford, is currently suspended from West Yorkshire Police (WYP).
He was initially arrested in November and released on bail.
Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring said: "I accept that at the time of the offending you were of good character.
"The Crown has conceded you didn't put the pictures on WhatsApp against the public at large."
