Hi and welcome to this JK B'HAM Crime Report for VPN: REGIONAL NETWORKS:
Akhmed Yakoob, a controversial Birmingham lawyer and former political candidate, was detained near Calais under the Terrorism Act while attempting to return to the UK. The 37-year-old was held for six hours by counter-terrorism police, who questioned him about his political activities, including his mayoral campaign, views on Gaza, and alleged connections to proscribed groups such as Hamas and Hizbollah. His electronic devices were seized for further investigation.
Speaking about the interrogation, Yakoob said: “They asked me about my mayoral campaign, about my views on Gaza, about whether I knew anything about Hamas, about Hizbollah, what I thought of the Gaza situation, my political campaigning, who funded my political campaigns and whether I intended to stand again. Of course, I said yes, I do intend to stand.”
Yakoob has faced growing scrutiny in recent months. He was previously accused of advancing a sectarian, pro-Muslim agenda during his political campaigns. He also apologized for misogynistic comments made during a podcast appearance, where he defended positions widely criticized as outdated and discriminatory. Additionally, Yakoob recently paid substantial damages to a Labour campaigner whom he falsely accused of racism, an incident that led to accusations of reckless behavior and doxxing.
His legal career has also been marked by controversy. Yakoob represented the alleged Manchester airport attackers but was dropped by his clients after he described an officer’s kick, which purportedly caused temporary nausea and insomnia, as “attempted murder.”
Yakoob denies any wrongdoing and claims his detention is politically motivated, attributing it to his outspoken views on Gaza and his challenges to mainstream political parties. However, critics, including Labour MP Jess Phillips, have questioned his fitness for public office, describing his actions as divisive and harmful to democratic processes.
Under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, police have the authority to detain individuals at borders for up to six hours without requiring prior suspicion of criminal activity. Yakoob was not arrested and has pledged to lodge a formal complaint about his treatment.
This latest incident adds to the controversies surrounding Yakoob, raising questions about his political ambitions and the impact of his divisive rhetoric. Counter-terrorism police have not yet commented on the ongoing investigation.
ACCESS TO THE LAW: Understanding the Crime and Sentencing
As part of our campaign to improve citizens’ access and understanding of UK Criminal law, we will be explaining the relevant UK legislation surrounding any case law relevant to our articles:
Terrorism Questioning and a Suspect’s Right to Deny Police Access to Sensitive Information
Under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, police have the authority to seize electronic devices to search for terrorism-related materials. However, an individual’s rights to protect professionally sensitive and confidential information are upheld through a robust filtering process.
In the case of Akhmed Yakoob, he initially hesitated to provide his PIN, fearing authorities might access sensitive information about his legal clients. Once he was assured that police would only receive terrorism-related information, and that independent parties would filter out irrelevant or sensitive materials, he complied.
This demonstrates how terrorism laws are structured to prevent misuse, ensuring they cannot be exploited to access incriminating or sensitive information unrelated to the matter under investigation. Importantly, refusing to grant access to devices in such cases would constitute an offence under the law.
This system illustrates the balance between protecting individual rights and enabling thorough, lawful investigations into potential security threats.
Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.
Jason King
Birmingham City-Desk
Twitter (X) @JasonKingNews
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