Walsall terror trial: Accused linked to hate preacher Abu Hamza
A student of hook-handed hate cleric Abu Hamza and 7/7 preacher Abdullah al-Faisal was a guest speaker at a conference at a Black Country hotel, a terror trial at the Old Bailey heard.
Terror accused Ayman Shaukat, aged 27, sent out invites for the Christmas Day event at Holiday Inn, off Wolverhampton Road West, Walsall, prosecutor Mr Julian Christopher QC said.
The mobile phone message Shaukat sent out described the guest speaker, named as Abdul Abdullah, as a 'student of Sheikh Abu Hamza and Sheikh Al-Falsal', the court heard.
Facing cross-examination in the witness box, Shaukat was asked if the Sheikh Abu Hamza mentioned in the invite was the same Abu Hamza who had been imprisoned in the UK for inciting violence and then extradited to the USA and found guilty of terrorism charges.
He replied: "I could not honestly say."
Asked if he was suggesting the Abu Hamza mentioned in the message was a different man to the Abu Hamza known for his hooked hand, Shaukat, of Pargeter Street, Walsall, said: "I am not saying that I know him," prompting gasps amongst the jury.
Asked if the Sheikh Al-Falsal mentioned in the messages was the same Al-Falsal who was imprisoned for stirring up racial hatred and inciting murder and deported to Jamaica, Shaukat said: "I would be speculating."
The defendant, who denies assisting two friends from Walsall to travel to Syria with the intention to join ISIS, also said a warning with the message he sent out about sharing it on social media was to do with 'availability' or 'space' at the venue.
Asked if the real reason was because of the nature of the speaker, he said: "No."
Islam Walsall was a cluster of between 10 and 15 Muslims in the town who formed their own group in 2012, the court heard.
Shaukat, who was treasurer and later deputy chairman of the group, added that he did not go to the conference and that he could not say if it was about extreme views on Sharia law.
It is alleged Shaukat is part of a group of friends from Walsall who had travelled or intended to travel to join ISIS.
Shaukat denies two counts of assisting Muslim convert Alex Nash, 22, of Bentley Street, and Sajit Aslam, 34, of Glebe Street, to travel to Syria with the purpose to commit acts of terrorism.
Also in the dock is Muslim convert Lorna Moore, 33, the wife of Aslam, also of Glebe Street, who denies a charge of failing to inform authorities of Aslam's plans.
It is alleged she was also planning to join her husband with their three children in Syria.
Nash has admitted that he intended to travel to Syria to join ISIS.
Other friends Jacob Petty, 25, of Slaney Street, and Isaiah Siadatan, 24, of Birmingham, are believed to have made it to Syria along with Aslam.
Petty was killed fighting in February 2015.
Siadatan's wife Kerry Thomason, 24, also a Muslim convert, has admitted assisting her husband in preparation of acts of terrorism.
The trial continues.
