Cleckheaton man sentenced to six years in prison for sharing 'disturbing' terrorist videos

A man from Cleckheaton has been jailed for six years after creating and sharing video clips that promoted a terrorist ideology.Police said that Mohammed Shakeel Yasin created 'disturbing' videos of himself brandishing weapons and was promoting extreme Islamist ideology, with the intention of encouraging acts of terrorism or helping with the preparation of a terrorist act.

He then shared the videos with others via social messaging platforms.

The clips were discovered on seized mobile phones during an investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing North East. Despite attempting to conceal his actions by deleting the footage, Yasin was charged in November 2020.

The 49 year old was found guilty of three counts of dissemination of terrorist publications at Leeds Crown Court in June.

Detective Chief Superintendent Martin Snowden, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East said: “Mohammed Shakeel Yasin created disturbing videos, including one in which he brandished a meat cleaver, to encourage others to inflict violence on people who did not conform to his extremist ideology.

“Not only did he personally film the clip, but he then shared it via WhatsApp to other individuals known to him – including a potentially vulnerable young person.

“The level of the terrorism threat in the UK continues to be substantial, meaning an attack is a strong possibility. To address this threat, specialist teams across the are working tirelessly to thwart terrorist planning, radicalisation and extremism."