LONDON: A British police officer has been charged with an offense of terrorism for allegedly publishing an image showing support for Hamas, police said on Wednesday.
Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement said Mohammed Adil, 26, from Bradford was taken into police custody last November and charged after an investigation by the British counter-terrorism department.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said the investigations had focused on messages shared by Adil on WhatsApp. The department later referred the matter to prosecutors.
The IOPC statement said PC Mohammed Adil, 26, was charged on Monday with two counts of publishing an image in support of a banned organization, specifically Hamas, contrary to section 13 of the Terrorism Act.
It noted the charges are alleged to have taken place in October and November last year.
Adil, a police constable, who has already been suspended from his job with West Yorkshire Police is expected to appear before London Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, police have arrested and charged a number of people at pro-Palestinian protests in London for expressing solidarity with the group.
According to the counter-terrorism commanders they have also had a large amount of online content referred to them.
