[28 / 1 / 1]
Quoted By: >>1484661
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15505629/Convicted-terrorist-bomb-British-consulate-Abu-Hamza-Birmingham.html
A convicted terrorist who was jailed for plotting to blow up the British embassy and had links to hook-handed hate preacher Abu Hamza intends to stand as a candidate in Birmingham's local elections.
Shahid Butt, 60, said he wants to 'unify the people' and push back against the far right when he stands for election in Sparkhill, in the upcoming Birmingham City Council elections, which will be held in May.
However his candidacy is marred by controversy.
Butt was convicted by a court in Yemen in 1999 after prosecutors said he was part of a militant group planning attacks on Western targets, including the British consulate in Aden, an Anglican church, and a Swiss-owned hotel.
The then 33-year-old - who was born in Pakistan before moving to Birmingham at an early age with his parents - was sentenced to five years in prison for associating with armed groups, 'plotting murder and destruction', and possessing weapons.
The case involved eight Britons and two Algerians and was linked to Islamist militants operating in the Middle Eastern country.
During proceedings, it was heard that Butt and the group had been sent to Yemen by Abu Hamza, the hook-handed and one-eyed British hate preacher who is now serving a life sentence in the USA after being extradited in 2012 on terrorism charges.
The defendants were said to have trained at a militant camp run by national Zein al-Abidine al-Mihdar, who was later sentenced to death for his role in the 1998 kidnapping of 16 Western tourists.
Four hostages - three Britons and one Australian - were killed during a rescue attempt by Yemeni security forces.
During Butt's trial, the defendants claimed they had been tortured into confessing.
But the court rejected the claims, ruling there was no link between the torture allegations and the evidence relied upon by the prosecution.
A convicted terrorist who was jailed for plotting to blow up the British embassy and had links to hook-handed hate preacher Abu Hamza intends to stand as a candidate in Birmingham's local elections.
Shahid Butt, 60, said he wants to 'unify the people' and push back against the far right when he stands for election in Sparkhill, in the upcoming Birmingham City Council elections, which will be held in May.
However his candidacy is marred by controversy.
Butt was convicted by a court in Yemen in 1999 after prosecutors said he was part of a militant group planning attacks on Western targets, including the British consulate in Aden, an Anglican church, and a Swiss-owned hotel.
The then 33-year-old - who was born in Pakistan before moving to Birmingham at an early age with his parents - was sentenced to five years in prison for associating with armed groups, 'plotting murder and destruction', and possessing weapons.
The case involved eight Britons and two Algerians and was linked to Islamist militants operating in the Middle Eastern country.
During proceedings, it was heard that Butt and the group had been sent to Yemen by Abu Hamza, the hook-handed and one-eyed British hate preacher who is now serving a life sentence in the USA after being extradited in 2012 on terrorism charges.
The defendants were said to have trained at a militant camp run by national Zein al-Abidine al-Mihdar, who was later sentenced to death for his role in the 1998 kidnapping of 16 Western tourists.
Four hostages - three Britons and one Australian - were killed during a rescue attempt by Yemeni security forces.
During Butt's trial, the defendants claimed they had been tortured into confessing.
But the court rejected the claims, ruling there was no link between the torture allegations and the evidence relied upon by the prosecution.
