Man who allegedly professed to be Prophet Mohammed and made threat to kill in Belfast is jailed

An asylum seeker who allegedly professed to be the Prophet Muhammad and threatened to get a knife to kill someone in Belfast has been jailed for three months.

Prosecutors said Zakariya Hurre made stabbing gestures at members of the public before fleeing through the city centre in a bid to evade police.

The 28-year-old Somalian, who claims he was only rapping on the streets, admitted a charge of disorderly behaviour.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard police received complaints about a man striking out at passers-by on July 11 this year.

“One witness claimed the defendant stated he was the Prophet Muhammad and that he was going to get a knife and kill someone,” a Crown lawyer said.

“He was gesturing with his hands in a stabbing motion.”

There is no suggestion that Hurre, of Dunluce Avenue in Belfast, was in possession of any blade.

CCTV operators were alerted and picked him up on camera systems.

“He was running through the city centre, going in and out of shops in an attempt to evade police,” the lawyer said.

When officers detained Hurre on Lower Garfield Street he was behaving erratically, swearing and slurring his words.

In a separate incident, he was arrested again on August 1 for a drunken attack on a neighbour.

The court heard he knocked on the victim’s door and asked to use his phone, lashing out and punching him in the face when the request was denied.

Hurre admitted a charge of common assault in connection with that incident.

Defence solicitor Andrew Russell suggested his client suffers from post-traumatic distress related to his life in Somalia.

He insisted that Hurre disputes making any claims to be the Prophet Muhammad or threatening to get a knife.

“He told me that he was rapping on the streets of Belfast,” the solicitor disclosed.

“There is no doubt that he’s a very energetic character and acted in a manner that caused distress to members of the public.”

Mr Russell also argued that Hurre assaulted his neighbour as part of “a conflict about how they were conducting their lives within the Muslim faith”.

Passing sentence, District Judge George Conner ordered him to serve three months in custody.

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