Luqmaan Ahmed, aged 24, a retail security guard employed at Primark, has been handed an extended sentence of four and a half years at Manchester Crown Court after being convicted of disseminating Islamic State propaganda and recording video footage of himself armed with a large knife in woodland.
The court heard that Ahmed distributed terrorist material online, sharing visual records documenting armed combatants, prisoners, executions, and extreme violence, alongside the standard iconography of the Islamic State flag. In July 2023, Ahmed filmed himself wearing a balaclava to conceal his face whilst brandishing a large blade in front of what appeared to be an Islamic State banner.
Alex Du Sautoy, prosecuting, outlined to the court that the material posted by Ahmed went beyond passive viewing and served to incite and encourage violent actions that would directly endanger human lives.
During the trial proceedings, Ahmed submitted a defence asserting that his interactions and media distributions were intended to draw suspected extremists into open communication so he could actively dissuade them from engaging in acts of terrorism. The jury dismissed his explanation and returned guilty verdicts on three counts of encouraging terrorism.
The trial judge categorised Ahmed under dangerousness provisions and imposed an extended determinate sentence comprising three years and six months in immediate prison custody, followed by an extended licence period of one year. Under extended sentence conditions for terrorism offences, Ahmed will be required to serve at least two-thirds of the custodial term before his case can be referred to the Parole Board for consideration of release.
The prosecution noted that the offences were committed in breach of a previous non-custodial sentence. In December 2022, Ahmed received a community order after being convicted of encouraging terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications. Despite this repeat offending, no deportation order has been issued against him.
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