Bristol man sentenced for glorifying Islamist terrorism

A Bristol man, Faseh Sajid, aged 21, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for sharing extremist content that glorified Islamist terrorism.

Sajid, of Green Croft, Speedwell, was found guilty at the Old Bailey on five counts of disseminating a terrorist publication, in violation of the Terrorism Act 2006. He was acquitted of one additional charge.

The conviction followed an extensive investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE). Officers executed a search warrant at Sajid’s home in November 2022, seizing several electronic devices that contained evidence of his involvement in spreading extremist ideology.

According to the police, Sajid had shared a substantial amount of Islamist material on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, where he used the alias “John Ross” to avoid detection.

Sajid regularly edited and circulated videos glorifying violence carried out by Daesh (ISIS), including graphic footage of mass executions, beheadings, and battlefield scenes. He paired these visuals with music, such as drill or techno, to create propaganda intended to radicalise others.

He was also found to have disseminated videos produced by Al Qaeda’s media wing, which included footage of the 9/11 attacks, the 7/7 bombings, and images of Osama Bin Laden, encouraging further acts of terrorism against Western targets.

The court heard that Sajid participated in group chats where other members shared similarly extremist content, further spreading violent ideology. In one of these groups, he requested specific videos and nasheeds (religious chants), which he incorporated into his own violent montages.

Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, Head of CTPSE, stated:

“Sajid shared extremely graphic propaganda videos showing battle scenes in Iraq and Syria, deceased fighters, and a live execution. By doing so, he was making attempts to radicalise people who viewed this hate-filled content. While Sajid tried to cover his tracks, such as by attempting to anglicize his name online, our officers carried out extensive work examining his electronic devices and uncovering his extreme Islamist ideology.”

Wright also mentioned the importance of early intervention, especially given Sajid was just 18 years old when he began spreading this harmful rhetoric. The police are urging the public to report any concerns about individuals showing signs of radicalisation or sharing extreme material, encouraging people to use resources like the ACT Early website to prevent further harm.