Former Hamas Bodyguard Convicted in UK Knife Attack

Mohammed Alfatih, previously known as Mohammed Naim, was regularly seen acting as a bodyguard for a former leader of Hamas in 2006 (Source ID: 1). He was granted asylum in the UK in 2015 and British citizenship in 2021. Alfatih was found guilty of unlawfully wounding a bailiff who had come to repossess his wife's car, possession of two knives, and criminal damage. He was cleared of wounding with intent. The son of a senior Hamas official, he could not be named during his trial due to reporting restrictions. [1]

During the trial, footage was shown of Alfatih brandishing two large kitchen knives outside his home in the suburb of Kings Heath and trying to stab the bailiff as he drove away. He told the court he chased the victim across the street to scare him away after his wife was asked to settle her debts of more than £2,250 linked to unpaid parking fines. Her car had been clamped by the enforcement officer, who was involved in a struggle inside Alfatih's terraced home (Source ID: 1). [1]

It is alleged Alfatih was an organiser and was involved in the movement of weapons. German authorities also allege he had pre-recorded a video wearing a balaclava and sunglasses claiming the attack was planned on behalf of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. The alleged attack was prevented after a tip-off from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad (Source ID: 1). [1]

Mohammed Alfatih, previously known as Mohammed Naim, was found guilty of unlawfully wounding a bailiff during an attack outside his home in Birmingham last year. The 40-year-old was under surveillance by a counter-terror unit at the time of the incident (Source ID: 1). During the trial, footage was shown of Alfatih brandishing two large kitchen knives outside his home in the suburb of Kings Heath and attempting to stab the bailiff as he drove away. Alfatih was granted asylum in the UK in 2015 and British citizenship in 2021. [1]

It is alleged Alfatih was an organiser and was involved in the movement of weapons. German authorities also allege he had pre-recorded a video wearing a balaclava and sunglasses claiming the attack was planned on behalf of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. The alleged attack was prevented after a tip-off from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad (Source ID: 1). [1]

Alfatih, who was born in Germany, is expected to be extradited to the country after he has served his sentence in the UK. During his evidence, Alfatih did not mention Hamas but told the court he had been tortured for 25 days while detained in Egypt in 2010. He has been in custody since the knife attack and now faces sentencing in Birmingham on 11 January, as well as separate extradition proceedings at Westminster Magistrates' Court (Source ID: 1). [1]

Mohammed Alfatih, previously known as Mohammed Naim, was found guilty of unlawfully wounding a bailiff during an attack outside his home in Birmingham last year (Source ID: 1). The 40-year-old was convicted by a majority verdict of unlawfully wounding a bailiff who had come to repossess his wife's car, possession of two knives, and criminal damage. Alfatih was under surveillance by a counter-terror unit at the moment he attacked the bailiff in Birmingham last year. During the trial, footage was shown of Alfatih brandishing two large kitchen knives outside his home in the suburb of Kings Heath and trying to stab the bailiff as he drove away (Source ID: 1). [1]

Alfatih, who was born in Germany, is expected to be extradited to the country after he has served his sentence in the UK (Source ID: 1). German authorities allege he was involved in an alleged gun plot to attack Jewish targets there, and he had pre-recorded a video wearing a balaclava and sunglasses claiming the attack was planned on behalf of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas (Source ID: 1). The alleged attack was prevented after a tip-off from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. Alfatih was re-arrested when authorities in Germany said he had been part of the alleged plot (Source ID: 1). [1]

Sources

BBC UK

Prepared with AI assistance from the cited sources.