UK ‘antisemitic TikTok terrorist’ jailed for 4 years after promoting terrorism on the platform

Antisemitic TikTok user, Hamza Alam, was jailed for four years for encouraging terrorist attacks and spreading extremist views, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

 tiktok The avatar is on the way  (photo credit: Dr. Itay gal)
tiktok The avatar is on the way
(photo credit: Dr. Itay gal)

An antisemitic Romford TikTok user was jailed for four years in England for encouraging terrorist attacks and the murder of Jews, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in a Monday statement.

Hamza Alam, 22, was sentenced to imprisonment by the Woolwich Crown Court for three counts of disseminating a terrorist publication and one count of encouraging terrorism.

Alam was arrested in 2022 after an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command into a Telegram group to which terrorist supporters had been a main contributor.

 Emergency Services Unit police from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Army National Guard troops from New York guard the 35th Street entrance to Penn station in New York on March 20, 2003. (credit: REUTERS/Chip East cme/ME)
Emergency Services Unit police from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Army National Guard troops from New York guard the 35th Street entrance to Penn station in New York on March 20, 2003. (credit: REUTERS/Chip East cme/ME)

The man referred to by CPS as an “antisemitic TikTok terrorist” would disguise himself when posting hostile videos against Jews or celebrations of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Material that glorified acts of terrorism

Alam was enamored with the Islamic State, creating a shareable folder with ISIS materials and videos of public floggings. On his phone, investigators found pictures of ISIS fighters with Alam’s face pasted on.

“Hamza Alam used social media platforms including TikTok to discuss, share, and spread his vile extremist views. He also recklessly shared material that glorified the commission, preparation, and acts of terrorism,” said CPS Counter Terrorism Division head Bethan David.

“Alam thought that by disguising his appearance and claiming he was merely an online librarian he would not be caught out – but he was wrong.”