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United Kingdom: A German Islamic hate preacher who fled Germany after being accused of leading a group inspiring 140 terrorists to join IS and al-Qaeda, has been allowed by the British government to settle in the United Kingdom, it has been revealed.
Brahim Belkaid, who led the group Die Wahre Religion – ‘the true religion’ – was accused of inspiring 140 terrorists to join ISIS and al-Qaeda.
Brahim Belkaid has been accused of using social media to incite violence
In November of that year, police launched 200 raids against the group, to seize their German assets. It was one of Europe’s biggest ever crackdowns on Islamist extremists.
Brahim Belkaid settled in Leicester in late 2013 after returning from Syria, where authorities suspect him of providing support to terrorists. Since then, the 41-year-old has spent his time proselytising in cities across Britain and using social media to promote extremist views.
The preacher continued to lead Die Wahre Religion – which is currently not banned in the UK. He was pictured distributing hardline versions of the Koran in Leicester and is said to have preached in Coventry and London.
The radical cleric has allegedly used social media to urge the destruction of the USA and in one photo smirks next to a box of ‘ISIS’ branded washing powder.
Another Facebook post features a sword, bullets and the words: ‘Jihad: the Only Solution.’
Brahim Belkaid (above, posing with a foreign washing powder brand) settled in Leicester in late 2013 after returning from Syria, where authorities suspect him of providing support to terrorists
An image from Belkaid’s Facebook page
Belkaid’s presence in the country will raise questions about PM Theresa May’s judgement – who was Home Secretary at the time of his arrival.
Belkaid began travelling to a region in Syria that was controlled by anti-government rebels linked to Al-Qaeda in 2013. Although he claimed to be delivering aid, he also reportedly urged others to follow him by saying: ‘Allah loves those who fight in his cause.’
His trips to Syria led to German authorities keeping a close eye on him, an informed source said, according to the Times. This prompted him to move to the UK at the end of 2013.
Belkaid (right) was pictured handing out hardline scripture to fans celebrating Leicester City’s Premier League victory in 2016
A car parts firm was founded in January 2014 that listed him as the sole director, registered to an address in Leicester, according to the Times. But Belkaid reportedly spent much of his time preaching at ‘dawah stalls’ across the country, including in London and Coventry.
German police carried out 200 raids in a bid to seize the group’s assets.
The German banning order cited Belkaid as the leader of the DWR and cited his sermons as evidence of the group’s rejection of democracy and the rule of law.
The group is not banned in the UK.
However, according to the Times, police raided a residence linked to Belkaid in Leicester at the behest of the German authorities in early 2017. It came shortly after the German federal prosecutor’s office announced an investigation into Belkaid’s activities in Syria. They alleged that he was using aid convoys to support an off-shoot of Al-Qaeda called Jabhat al-Nusra. Belkaid reportedly denies the allegations. No arrests were made but the probe remains open.
ITCT analyst on the German desk Mr Irfan Peci commented on this news:
“Brahim is a German Jihadi and he is as dangerous as most other ISIS jihadists. I met him in Germany and found him ideologically radicalised. He travelled in Syria a few times. His organisation is banned and his Jihadi friends have been arrested by the German authorities. He then fled to the UK. He was known as one of the most influential hate preachers in Germany.”
He further stated about Brahim legally living in the UK:
“The UK authorities have endangered the community by allowing him to live in the country. He is the most dangerous person to the society. He is also very anti-Semitic and commented against the Jewish community in his videos.”
Brahim Belkaid is currently taking Islamic classes in Leicester where he studies Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and Aqeedah (Matters of Faith).
His house in Leicester has been raided by the CT police department but no arrests were made. He is well known to the UK police and Counter Terrorism department and is under the watch list of British security service Mi5.
Meanwhile, Belkaid has also continued to use social media – including Facebook and YouTube – to spread extremist views.
Belkaid did not respond to a request for comment.
The Home Office said: “Extremism has no place in the UK. The home secretary has the power to exclude non-British nationals from the UK if he believes they represent a serious threat to our society.”