Extremist behind ‘gay-free zone’ posters jailed for possessing al Qaeda literature

A perfume salesman who painted burqas on scantily clad women on advertising posters and stuck “gay-free zone” posters on London’s Brick Lane was today jailed for 14 months for possessing terrorist literature.

Mohammed Hasnath, 19, admitted four counts of having copies of al Qaeda’s Inspire magazine on his computer memory stick.

He was also given a one-month concurrent sentence for breaching a conditional discharge imposed last year for six offences of criminal damage involving the posters.

Hasnath, of Poplar, east London, had also been dealt with by the court for sticking “gay-free zone” posters in Brick Lane.

Bearded Hasnath has been in custody for 206 days and is likely to be released in the next week, the Old Bailey heard.

While on remand in Belmarsh, a prison officer heard prisoner Mohibur Rahman, who pleaded guilty to having terrorist literature in the stock exchange bomb plot trial, apparently encouraging him.

Alexander Chalk, prosecuting, said Rahman was overheard talking through pipes to Hasnath in the next cell, telling him: “When you get released, stay squeaky clean and then you can carry on our work.”

Hasnath was arrested riding a bicycle in East India Dock Road, near his home, and arrested under the Terrorism Act after posting material to a YouTube site cross-referenced to his non-alcoholic perfume sales site.

Hossein Zahir, defending, said Hasnath had since been moved to Woodhill prison where he had requested to take part in a de-radicalisation programme.

He said of the prison officer’s statement: “He has no recollection of this statement. There is no indication that he agreed to what Mr Rahman said.”

Mr Zahir added: “He was a naive young man expressing an under-developed interest in these issues. He is remorseful.”

Judge Gerald Gordon said he was concerned that Hasnath had been placed in a cell near Rahman.

He said information about the encounter was “extremely worrying”, although it appeared it was Rahman not Hasnath who was talking.

The judge said it was not possible for him to make a judgment about Hasnath’s future intentions.

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