An “extremist” made a stabbing gesture as he called for Jihad “by sword” at a busy mosque, a court has heard.
Abubaker Deghayes, 53, is accused of encouraging terrorism when he addressed worshippers at the Brighton Mosque and Muslim Community Centre in Duke Road on Sunday, November 1 2020.
Opening his Old Bailey trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Ben Lloyd said around 50 people, including children and young adults, were present when Deghayes stood up after evening prayers.
The defendant allegedly told them that “Jihad is fighting by sword” and is compulsory.
In a video of the speech played to the jury, Deghayes said: “Whose power is more powerful than us? Allah is more powerful than you. You, idiots. You kuffar (non-believers)… The non-believer is an idiot. He’s stupid.”
Later he went on: “Jihad, Jihad, Jihad. Jihad is compulsory. Jihad is fighting by sword. That means this Jihad is compulsory upon you, not Jihad is the word of mouth but Jihad will remain compulsory until the Day of Resurrection…”
Mr Lloyd told jurors that the speech was not given “innocently or naively”.
He said: “The prosecution case is clear. By the defendant’s words and gestures he was encouraging people to undertake violent Jihad.
“The defendant’s speech demonstrates him to be an Islamic extremist. He is someone who believes is the use of violence in the cause of Islam.
“Or, at the very least, he was reckless in giving his speech as to whether people would be encouraged.”
The defendant, of Arundel Drive East, Saltdean, denies the charge against him.
I wouldn’t normally post under one of our stories but someone tried using a fake email address to post a trenchant comment about the defendant even though a trial is taking place before a jury – so I thought it may be helpful to share the reply that I would have sent to someone using a genuine email address.
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