Brit's ISIS TikTok post sparked 'ring of steel' around Champions League football stadiums
A man from Cleethorpes has been given a 15 year extended sentence after his TikTok posts sparked fears ISIS had been planning attacks on football stadiums.
Mohammed Mahfuz Ahmed prompted a massive international security alert after he suggested stadiums hosting Champions League games were an 'easy target' and the results would be 'huge''.
The 26-year-old's threats prompted an 'extraordinary' security response from the Spanish interior ministry for the match in April between Real Madrid and Manchester City.
They drafted in more than 3,500 police officers, with four separate rings of security, and snipers posted on the roofs of buildings overlooking the stadium.
Ahmed, 26, from North Lincolnshire, was running multiple TikTok accounts, including one in the name Knight_of_Martyrdom urging people to hit the 'easy' targets. He was sharing pro-ISIS propaganda making calls to behead and shoot dead disbelievers.
On April 4th last year he posted an image of fans at a football ground with targets on their heads which read: "To the stadiums, launch o muwahhid (faithful) to your new target."
It added: "The bleachers (open air stands) and games in stadiums are filled with large numbers of crusaders. The targets are easy to reach, the results are huge, Allah willing and the reward is many times over. This will kill them, bloody their days, ruin their lives and make grief their punishment. The Prophet said 'a kaffir (non-believer) and his killer will never be brought together in hell.'"
Ahmed posted a comment with the image which read: "Answer the call" .
The image was posted days after an attack at a concert at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow by four men claiming allegiance to Islamic State, who opened fire killing at least 145 people including six children.
Another image was posted four days later, on April 8th, by a media channel linked to ISIS in the same black and red colours, featuring a gunman in a balaclava with the message: 'Kill them all."
It pictured the Emirates Stadium in London, Parc de Prince in Paris, and Santiago Bernabéu and Metropolitano Arena stadiums in Madrid which were due to host UEFA Champions League football matches the next day.
Ahmed was arrested on April 18th at his home address and police seized an iPhone, a Samsung laptop and two USB memory sticks.
On his phone was an image of the Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid with a red target circle at the entrance to the stadium where people are entering.
The threats made headline news across the world and Katherine Robinson, prosecuting, told Sheffield crown court: "We say that this is a statement of direct encouragement to commit acts of terrorism.
"The defendant had an extensive following on TikTok. He also used hashtags which accompany each of his posts. This enables the user to significantly widen the reach of their posts."
Ahmed was using the TOR browser to access the dark web which disguised the source of the terrorist material he distributed, the prosecutor said.
Ahmed was found guilty of three counts of disseminating terrorist material and one count of encouraging terrorism.
The judge, Jeremy Richardson KC, said Ahmed had "utterly revolting scenes of cruelty and savagery relating to a variety of terrorist outrages" on his computer.
"By far the most serious of the charges relates to the UEFA football tournament, when you were directly encouraging individuals to indulge in terrorist activity, relating to that major public international event," he added.
"You were seeking to recruit others with equally perverted views as yourself to indulge in acts of terrorism as individuals have done in the past elsewhere in the world."
Sentencing him to 10 years in jail with five years on extended licence, the judge added: "I have a duty to protect the public. I sincerely hope that this sentence serves as a deterrent to others."
The police said a raid on his home revealed a 'deep-seated extremist mindset' and an 'avid determination to share terrorist material online.'
Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley the head of Counter-Terrorism Policing North East said: 'Ahmed was persistent and determined in his efforts to reach as many people as possible with his posts, which often included graphic content and glorified acts of terrorism.
'He went to considerable lengths to seek out and share material that could not easily be found on mainstream online platforms, using hashtags to appeal to a wider audience and encourage more followers.
"The potential impact of his actions should not be underestimated…Sharing extremist material online is not a victimless crime and may inspire others to act.."
Over a five-month period Ahmed gathered more than 1,300 followers and received in excess of 14,000 likes in response to his content. Each time TikTok closed his accounts, Ahmed set up a new one with a slightly varied username, re-posting the same pro-ISIS content and adding new posts.
In messages dating back to October 2023, Ahmed shared graphic violent pro-ISIS videos with his wife. In one exchange he told her: "A martyr can take 70 people to heaven with him. The blood of a martyr is more pure than water or anything."
Then he added: "Babe, I'm surprised how MI5 haven't come to my house yet. I've heard people getting raided and going to prison for spreading so called Islamic propaganda. I mean it's happened to loads of people.
"They take away your passport and everything sometimes, depending on what it is. The only thing that would get me into trouble is with the police for dissemination of so-called terrorist publications."
Omran Belhadi, defending, said Ahmed came from a very small Bangladeshi community in Cleethorpes where his opportunity to mix with other Muslims was limited.
His middle brother suffered from non-verbal autism and his mother had had a stroke which left her unable to feed and clothe herself, putting "pressure points" on the family, he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Influencer Emilie Kiser's husband could face child abuse charges as son, 3, dies
A social media influencer's husband could face child abuse charges relating to the death of their three-year-old son. In May this year, Emilie Kiser and her husband, Brandy's son, Trigg, died. Police were called to their home just outside of Phoenix on May 12 following reports of a possible drowning involving a minor. The youngster, three, was given CPR on scene before paramedics arrived. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition and was later flown to Phoenix Children's Hospital due to the injuries. However, Trigg sadly died just six days later, it was announced. Earlier this week, Chandler Police announced that they had completed a thorough review into the death of young Trigg. The case has now been submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the force said: "The Chandler Police Department has completed its investigation into the tragic drowning of three-year-old Trigg Kiser, who died May 18, 2025, after being found unresponsive in his family's backyard pool. Following a thorough review of the evidence, investigators have recommended a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse against Brady Kiser. "(ARS 13-3623) The case has now been submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review." A Class 4 child abuse felony is an offence committed with criminal negligence and can be committed intentionally or knowingly, according to Arizona law. He could face up to three years behind bars if he's convicted. Since the tragic incident, Emilie, who boasts 1.7 million followers on Instagram and 4.1 million on TikTok, has filed a lawsuit demanding that records about her son not be disclosed. She said she is "going through a parent's worst nightmare right now," following the "heartbreaking accidental drowning" of Trigg. The lawsuit adds: "Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son…but every day is a battle." It goes on to say: "Emilie and her family desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them. Trigg's death has become a media frenzy." Following the death of young Trigg, over 100 public records requests have been filed with the city of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. However, the lawsuit does acknowledge Arizona's Public Records Law, which gives the public the right to view records which are kept by public officers, adding: "This right of access is not absolute." Lawyers for the Kisers go on to say that Arizona law also "recognises that family members have a compelling privacy interest in preventing the disclosure of graphic materials related to a loved one's injuries or death." Brady told police that he had been distracted by their son, who was born in March, when Trigg had gone outside to play. He went on to add that he lost sight of their eldest child for a few minutes, and when he stepped outside to check on him, he found Trigg unconscious in the pool. The Mirror has approached Emilie's spokesperson for comment.
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
DHS deports convicted criminals to tiny African nation Eswatini
"This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back," she said in a post on the social media site X on July 16. The men are originally from Yemen, Vietnam, Laos, Jamaica and Cuba. McLaughlin didn't say whether the men had completed their sentences in the United States before their removal. Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is a landlocked country bordering Mozambique and South Africa. The nation is smaller than Maryland, suffers from severe poverty, high unemployment and the world's highest rate of HIV and AIDS, according to the CIA World Factbook. The United States has long sought to deport immigrants to third countries when their own home nation is recalcitrant or won't accept their own deportees. Countries including Vietnam, Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and China have often refused to take their citizens back. The Trump administration is attempting to scale up third-country deportations after the Supreme Court in June suspended a lower court ruling requiring the administration give deportees due process and an opportunity to claim fear of persecution before they're sent to a country that isn't their own. In a July 8 memo following the SCOTUS decision, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons said if the United States "has received diplomatic assurances" that deportees "will not be persecuted or tortured," they can be shipped there without further proceedings. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has negotiated with countries around the world to accept foreign nationals, including with war-torn South Sudan and El Salvador, which has locked up hundreds of deportees in a notorious mega-prison. Early in the administration, ICE sent some 300 immigrants to Panama; many were from Asia and the Middle East and spoke no Spanish. Immigrant advocates say deporting people to a country that isn't their own where they don't speak the language is a violation of human rights. The administration has argued that immigrants who commit seious crimes should be removed without recourse. "These depraved monsters have been terrorizing American communities but thanks to @POTUS Trump (and) @Sec_Noem they are off of American soil," McLaughlin said in her post.
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
TV presenter known as 'Adrenaline Woman' dies in horror base jumping accident
Marta Jiménez, 34, had became popular for her daredevil stunts on TV, landing her the nickname 'Adrenaline Woman' but she tragically died in a horror base jumping accident A popular TV presenter, known as "Adrenaline Woman", has died in a tragic accident while base jumping. Spanish presenter Marta Jiménez, 34, gained her daredevil nickname for her daring and high-octane stunts, which she performed on TV. Her colleagues on the Spanish chat show "El Hormiguero" (The Anthill) confirmed Marta's tragic death and insisted that she would not be forgotten. At work, Marta's daredevil activities brought excitement to millions of people in Spain who tuned into the show, but the 34-year-old died while doing one of these thrilling activities. Marta went base jumping in the Pyrenees mountains, near the northeastern city of Huesca, on Sunday at around 10.30am. Her adventure went horrifically wrong when the presenter had an accident. The exact details of this tragic accident and what caused the incident have not been shared yet. Emergency crews rushed to the scene but they were unable to save Marta, her TV show said in a statement. Rescue teams even brought a helicopter to the site but they found the woman's lifeless body at the location. Her co-host Pablo Motos confirmed the sad death on social media. He said: "Marta has left us, the adrenaline woman, she lost her life doing what she loved most." Marta's body was taken to the Insititute of Legal Medicine in Huesca for a post-mortem, following the tragic incident. Marta was particularly popular on the TV show and was famous for her adventurous activities. One of her most famous stunts was base jumping almost 200 feet from a crane, but at the time admitted she suffered a panic attack before this jump, due to nerves. Motos posted a video of the well-known jump and shared a touching tribute to his co-star. He sad: "We are devastated. But our feeling of helplessness and our sadness won't stop us from remembering her when she screamed with joy at having achieved something impossible. I'm sharing one of those moments with you through tears." Some heartbroken fans also shared emotional tributes to the TV star. One person said: "I read the news and remembered the moments she gave us. Best wishes to all her family, friends colleagues that loves her. Remember her courage and her smile." Another wrote: "Your joy and vitality will always accompany us! Fly high, Marta!" A British parachutist, who worked on a Mission Impossible film, also tragically died when his wingsuit failed on a base jump in the Alps, an inquest heard. Daredevil Dylan Roberts, 32, was killed 20 seconds into a flight from a well-known base jumping cliff in Italy in June 2022. His death was concluded to be a "tragic accident" as a coroner said Mr Roberts was a skydiving instructor who took safety extremely seriously. His family said Mr Roberts, who coordinated parachute stunts on a Mission Impossible film, "died doing what he loved".
