Newport asylum seeker jailed for glorifying terrorism on social media
An Islamic extremist who arrived in the UK seeking asylum has been jailed for supporting terror group Islamic State.Turkish national Hakan Barac, 28, of Commercial Road, Newport, posted videos on social media sites glorifying terrorists Osama bin Laden and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.He admitted five counts relating to the online distribution of terrorist publications, and one of expressing support for a proscribed organisation.Barac was sentenced to three years and nine months at Bristol Crown Court and will referred to authorities to consider deportation.
Barac, who reached the country two years ago, was arrested by counter-terrorism police last year.He posted videos on social media sites, including Instagram and Telegram, that showed jihadists preparing for martyrdom as well as featuring Saudi-born Canadian recruiter Mohammed Khalifa, the court heard.Ben Lloyd, prosecuting, said other material was "extreme" and depicted graphic violence."It was apparent that a substantial number of followers to his accounts were interested in extreme Islamic subject matters," he said.Tim Forte KC, defending, said Barac had pleaded guilty on the basis there was "no intention to assist or encourage" and the posts had only been seen by a small number of people.
'Abhorrent rhetoric'
But in handing down a 45-month sentence, Judge Martin Picton said Barac had shared material glorifying "violent terrorism"."The dissemination of material of this kind has the clear potential to be supportive of such activity," he said."It is apparent from your own use of social media that you have a mindset that is aligned with that ideology."The pattern of terrorist activity in modern times demonstrates the potential for individuals to be encouraged by material they see posted on social media so as to carry out acts of violence."He added: "You are here seeking asylum but at the same time choose to disseminate material that strikes at the very heart of our democratic society."For you to behave in that way when seeking refuge in this country is very difficult to understand and must seem utterly unacceptable to all right thinking people."Det Ch Insp Leanne Williams, from Counter Terrorism Policing Wales, said: "Without any doubt, Hakan Barac is a dangerous individual. "Barac clearly expressed his support for the Islamic State, and it was our absolute priority to ensure the public were protected from him and the abhorrent rhetoric he espoused."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Readers' Letters: After by-election win Labour needs to sell message of positive change
Labour's surprise win in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election had readers talking Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Reform UK's 26 per cent vote share at the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election is a warning that the populist party with a toxic ideology can make inroads in next year's Holyrood election. Political expert Sir John Curtice estimates Nigel Farage's party could come third, with 18 seats, based on recent polling (your report, 2 June). He said Reform's success is 'very bad news' for the Tories who polled just 6 per cent at the by-election. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Unfounded remarks by Farage about Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar allegedly favouring the Pakistani community were condemned as racist by all major parties in Scotland apart from the Tories, who remain toothless against a party that has overtaken them in the polls and threatens to render them obsolete. The recent resignation of Bellshill-born Reform party chairman Zia Yusuf, after its newest MP suggested the banning of the burka, is a blow to Farage. This follows Reform's controversial views on banning asylum seekers from Reform-held councils, an unworkable net zero migration policy and the recent comments against Mr Sarwar. Scottish Labour Deputy leader Jackie Ballie, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Davy Russell, newly elected Scottish Labour MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse yesterday (Picture: Jeff) Reform has no place in Scottish democracy as it is difficult to justify any support for a party with outdated views on multiculturalism and climate change. Labour must show that Hamilton was not a blip to defeat two decades of failed SNP policies and the toxic politics of Reform. Voters are more likely to engage if there is tangible hope of positive change. Neil Anderson, Edinburgh Counting chickens? While Labour's victory in the Hamilton by-election on Thursday seemingly points to the party winning the Scottish Parliament elections next year, if I were Anas Sarwar I wouldn't be sizing up the curtains of Bute House just yet. The seat was won comfortably by the SNP in the last Scottish Parliament election in 2021 and is just the sort of seat Labour needs to win if Sarwar is to become Scotland's next First Minister. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The SNP has made little progress in restoring its fortunes following its heavy defeat in last summer's Westminster election, with polls suggesting the party's support across Scotland is still 15 points down on its tally in 2021. In the event, the fall in the party's support in Hamilton was, at 17 points, just a little higher than that. However, Labour's own tally was also down by two points on its vote in 2021, when overall the party came a disappointing third. That drop was very much in line with recent polling, which puts the party at just 19 per cent across Scotland as a whole, while the SNP has around a third of the vote. In addition, Labour is losing somewhere between one in six and one in five of its voters to Reform since last year's election. After nearly two decades in the political wilderness, there is little sign that Labour, as it currently stands, is set to regain the reins of power at Holyrood. Alex Orr, Edinburgh Real winner After all the hype by First Minister John Swinney talking up Reform and ignoring Labour it was obviously a tactic by the SNP to try and salvage a win in Hamilton. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Similarly, despite a dreadful campaign by Labour, voting SNP was simply not an option for many on the left. In comes the real winner, Reform UK, with a spectacular vote from a near nil base. Mr Swinney has unleashed a force that will do real damage in the 2026 Holyrood election. The SNP has proved itself too self-congratulatory too many times. Eighteen years of misrule cannot be rewarded by another term in office. All bets are off as to the make-up of Holyrood in 2026. The SNP is tired, Labour has yet to prove itself effective, Reform UK has the bit between its teeth and the Tories might yet recover. A year is a long time in politics. Gerald Edwards, Glasgow Swinney must go The loss of the Hamilton by-election to the risibly inept 'Scottish' Labour – a party so devoid of ideas it could barely muster a coherent manifesto – is not merely a setback. It is a catastrophe of the SNP's own making. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This was an entirely avoidable humiliation. Instead of seizing the moment – with independence support now at a formidable 54 per cent in a Norstat poll – John Swinney chose to dither. His response? A pledge to wait until 75 per cent of Scots beg for freedom before lifting a finger. When Keir Starmer declared he would block any independence referendum, Swinney's silence was deafening. Not a word of defiance, not a hint of resistance to the colonial farce of Section 30. Instead, he opted to align with Labour – a party whose sole distinction from Reform is a marginally more polished veneer of hypocrisy. Both are unionist to the core, united in their mission to siphon Scotland's wealth southward while offering nothing but condescension in return. The campaign itself was a masterclass in misdirection. Rather than rallying the independence movement with a bold vision, Swinney fixated on Reform – as if thwarting Nigel Farage's band of reactionary clowns was the defining struggle of Scottish nationalism. The result? A muddled, defensive mess that left voters uninspired and Labour undeservedly triumphant. The truth is stark: the SNP has no plan for independence. No strategy beyond grovelling to Westminster for permission to hold a vote – a humiliation masquerading as diplomacy. It is a spectacle so pitiful it verges on self-parody. Swinney must go. Not with a whimper, but with the swift, decisive exit his failures demand. The independence movement deserves leaders who grasp that freedom is seized, not negotiated – and who possess the courage to act accordingly. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Until then, the SNP's decline will continue, and Scotland's potential will remain shackled by the timid and the unimaginative. Alan Hinnrichs, Dundee Let teachers teach As a retired primary teacher who worked for 40 years in primary education, I think there is a simple solution to the 'excessive workload'. Stop expecting detailed forward plans, lesson plans and reviews of the same and let teachers teach instead of being overburdened with paperwork for the sake of accountability. The Curriculum for Excellence has a lot to answer for. It was what changed things so drastically and made teaching so much more stressful. When I began teaching in the 1970s, teachers completed a Record of Work every two weeks. This showed the work that had been completed in all the subjects taught in the primary curriculum in the previous two weeks. From there the progress that was made was clear and any teacher taking over the class (say as sickness cover) knew what was being taught. This was not as detailed as the Forward Plan which replaced it, but it was a clear record, in one slim book, of what had been achieved over the school year. Pupils' work was marked daily and preparations for next day made daily. The pupils left literate and numerate and, for the most part, behaved responsibly. Forty years later we were required to make a 'Forward Plan' for each subject for the term ahead and then assessed as to how we felt it had been achieved before writing the next Forward Plan! A daily diary of the plan for each day was also required. This was to be written up for the week so any teacher could take over. This was detailed to show subject, aims and objectives. On top of this there was, of course, the marking and noting of any problems and collecting materials for the next day's work. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the last year or so of my career we had a school inspection. The HMI 'dropped in' to observe one of my lessons and said at the end, 'That was an excellent lesson, but I'm afraid I cannot grade you on it as you didn't have a detailed lesson plan'. My reply was that I had never written a full lesson plan for any lesson since graduating from Callendar Park teacher training college. If teachers are allowed to teach without all the emphasis on accountability their workload would be greatly reduced and they could enjoy working with their pupils and seeing them love to learn, as I did at the start of my career. Barbara Wilson, Edinburgh Cringe no more I must disagree with Alexander McKay, and by extension, Billy Connolly, on the charge that the Scottish Parliament is 'pretendy' (Letters, 6 June). Far from it. Rather, it brings democracy and answerability to our doorstep. If the Scottish Parliament were pretendy, the Westminster Parliament is undoubtedly toxic. Politicians of the calibre of Mhairi Black and Stephen Flynn, disillusioned with Westminster, are seriously thinking of transferring their allegiance. Scotland struggled long and hard to achieve a Scottish Parliament in 1999, with the likes of Donald Dewar, Winnie Ewing, David Steel and Alex Salmond playing leading roles. Hopefully, Holyrood is here to stay, and grow in stature and personnel, with more and Parliamentarians choosing to be MSPs rather than MPs. Let's hear no more of the infamous 'Scottish cringe'. Ian Petrie, Edinburgh On the buses Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Andrew Clark, who expressed absolute dismay over bus lanes (Letters, 5 June), got the wrong end of the stick. Bus priority lanes are not, in the first instance, about reducing pollution, but about minimising congestion for those who are prepared to travel together. And to encourage people to do so, buses need to be able to progress reliably, especially on the main arteries. Cars have a vastly disproportionate footprint compared to buses. Bus lanes go some way towards reallocating the communal road space more fairly. Harald Tobermann, Chair, Edinburgh Bus Users Group Write to The Scotsman
Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Horror moment jiu-jitsu student left PARALYZED from neck down after being slammed by instructor ‘Sinistro'
THIS is the horror moment a jiu-jitsu student was left paralysed from the neck down after being slammed by his black belt instructor. Jack Greener, a beginner white belt, was seen receiving horrific injuries after his instructor put on a move that struck his neck. 4 Moment Greener's trainer put on a move that struck his neck. Credit: Instagram 4 Greener was seen on the floor after receiving horror injuruies Credit: Instagram 4 The horrific accident crushed his cervical vertebrae, effectively paralysing his entire body below the neck Footage shows Greener pitting against his instructor, dubbed "Sinistro", inside a training facility. The beginner was on all fours when his instructor flipped him forward before twisting his head and neck. Greener immediately lost control over his body and fell to the ground. He was rushed to the hospital - just days before he was supposed to graduate from college in 2018. The horrific accident crushed his cervical vertebrae, effectively paralysing his entire body below the neck. Greener was forced to spend months in the hospital, recovering from multiple strokes as a result of his injuries, according to the New York Post. He then sued Del Mar Jiu Jitsu club in San Diego for the injuries and blamed his instructor, Iturralde, for his 'dynamic, aggressive grappling style". Greener, now a mountain climber and a popular motivational speaker, was first awarded $56 million by a San Diego jury in 2023. Rahul Ravipudi, one of Greener's attorneys, said: "[The judgement] cements a critical legal victory not only for our client, but also for injured athletes across California by reaffirming that sports instructors and facilities may be held accountable when they unreasonably increase risks beyond those inherent in the sport." BJJ legend Rener Gracie, who was called as an expert witness in the case, said: "The black belt instructor did a technique that placed his entire body weight on Greener's neck, causing him to instantly fall limp and lose all function of his limbs." It comes after a champion martial artist tragically died after a horrific collapse in the ring. Mohit Sharma, 21, was fighting in the second round of a university wushu tournament on Monday in India. People immediately rushed to provide assistance, and medics were called. Sharma, though, could not be revived after a reported suspected heart attack. According to the Indian Express, he was taken to the on-site medical centre then transported to a district hospital. But the young boxer sadly passed away as he was declared dead on arrival at Kharar Government hospital on Monday evening, it was later confirmed. Meanwhile, a mixed martial arts fighter died days after collapsing during a training session. 4 Greener was forced to spend months in the hospital, recovering from multiple strokes as a result of his injuries Credit: Instagram Zach Doran was sparring at his local gym when his heart suddenly stopped. The 18-year-old spent 10 days in a coma before his parents Jason and Tami made the "tough" decision to turn his life support machine off. "He literally fought to his death," his dad, a teacher and American football coach, said. "He was doing a sparring session and during round seven or eight, he just collapsed. "They had thought that he had taken a kick to the chest or a blow to the head, but someone was recording his bouts and it was none of that. "You could tell he was getting tired and just folded over." The "super healthy" teenager, who had been an MMA fighter for two and a half years and was captain of his Varsity American football team, had no underlying health conditions. But his girlfriend Libby Gilmore, 18, believes energy drinks contributed to Zack's "shock" passing. The sportsman reportedly "always had one" before going to the gym or an MMA session, as well as a "pre-workout" - a supplement designed to enhance energy.
Channel 4
12 hours ago
- Channel 4
Mass casualties ‘change you as a person', says Gaza surgeon
In Israel, the military has said that four of its soldiers were killed today and five injured when a booby-trapped building collapsed in Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 16 Palestinians. In Jabalia to the north one strike reportedly left dozens trapped under rubble. It comes as Gazans marked the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adhar amid a precarious humanitarian situation. The controversial Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said it had given out over eight thousands food boxes today at two sites – but then halted all operations due to what they called 'excessive crowding'. We spoke to Goher Rabhour, an NHS surgeon who has been working in Gaza's Nasr hospital.
