Jihadi Princess' jailed for supporting Isil with 20,000 Tweets
make –up artist who dubbed herself the “Jihadi Princess” and said she wanted to marry Jihadi John has been jailed for posting up to 20,000 Tweets in support of Isil.
Zafreen Khadam, 32, shared graphic videos and
images of Isil violence that included a video of a Jordanian pilot being burned
alive, alongside the message “good riddance”.
The unemployed Sheffield woman, who had previously worked
at House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols, also shared a photo of the beheading of
the American journalist James Foley and calls to kill disbelievers' in America
and Europe.
Sentencing her to four and a half years, a judge said her
spreading of propaganda from Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) had put
the public at risk.
In messages to friends in 2015, Khadam, suggested she
wanted to go to Syria to marry Mohammed Emwazi, - the Londoner unveiled as Isil
executioner Jihadi John, who was killed in a drone strike later that year.
Khadam called herself
'Jihadi Princess' online
And when she was confronted by one person online who said
what Isil was doing was not in the name of Islam, she replied: “IS aren't doing
anything wrong. I will support them as much as I can."
Khadam was convicted of ten counts of disseminating
terrorist material after a short trial at Sheffield Crown Court.
Over a five week period in February and March 2015, she
tweeted up to 20,000 times and shared Isil execution videos on social media.
She set up 14 Twitter accounts to share messages,
including one under the name “Jihadi Princess”.
Khadam wept loudly in the dock and shouted “no, no, no”
as she was sentenced.
Judge Julian Goose QC said her defence, that sending the
messages and sharing images and videos were a form of research, had been
rejected.
Khadam said she wanted to
marry Jihadi John
"It is particularly shocking that you made such
images your favourites and made your profile open to the internet to see,” he
said.
"It was only when you were arrested on March 27 that
you stopped. Had it not been for your arrest, I am satisfied you would have
continued what you were doing.
"You created a note pretending that all of this was
research. That document was a deliberate lie to try to bolster your
defence."
"There is no evidence that your conduct has led to
terrorist acts but the nature of the internet and it's global reach means your
spreading of IS propaganda causes a serious risk to the public here and
abroad.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Clive Wain, from the North
East counter terrorism unit, said: “Khadam was prolific in her use of social
media and showed little regard for the consequences of openly sharing deeply
disturbing images and material across a number of digital platforms.
“Much of this material encouraged violent action and was
very extreme in the violence it portrayed.
“Today’s verdict I hope sends out a strong message that
actions such as those carried out by Khadam will not be tolerated and
ourselves, together with policing colleagues and other partner agencies, will
bring those who are breaking the law to justice.”
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