Manchester couple found guilty of anti-Jewish terror plot

Today, a husband and wife from Oldham, Mohammed Sajid Khan and Shasta Khan, have been convicted of plotting terrorism against Manchester's Jewish community. Their plan was uncovered after police were called to a domestic incident.

The Khans are believed to have been intended to target Jewish communities in Greater Manchester with improvised explosive devices. The jury saw evidence of antisemitic incitement, antisemitic rhetoric; and the couple researched Jewish neighbourhoods and had driven to these areas in order to engage in hostile reconnaissance against them.

Mohammed Sajid Khan pleaded guilty to the charges. Shasta Khan pleaded innocent and stood trial. She has now been found guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism and two of three counts of possessing a record of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

CST spokesman Mark Gardner said:

This trial has shown the reality of anti-Jewish terrorism in Britain today. It explains why Jewish communities take security and antitsemitism seriously.

CST thanks Greater Manchester Police and the North West Counter Terrorism Unit for their cooperation with both CST and our Jewish community at this difficult time. We urge the Jewish community to lead its life to the full; and ask that it keeps supporting communal security efforts. In particular, suspicious activities in Jewish areas should be reported to CST and Police.

Antisemitism is central to extreme Islamist ideology. In Britain, this February, nine British men were convicted of plotting to send letter bombs to various targets, including two synagogues. In March, three children and a teacher were murdered by a gunman at a Jewish school in Toulouse, France. In June 2011, an al-Qaeda leader in East Africa was found with plans to attack targets in London, including the Jewish neighbourhoods of Golders Green and Stamford Hill. Furthermore, Iran and its Hizbollah surrogates continue to target Jews and also Israelis.