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Mohammed Alfatih, also known as Mohammed Naim, a former bodyguard linked to Hamas and wanted in Germany over an alleged plan to assassinate Jewish individuals, has been convicted in the UK for attacking a bailiff outside his residence with a knife. Despite his controversial background, Alfatih was granted asylum in the UK in 2015 and later became a British citizen in 2020. During his trial, he was found guilty by a majority verdict of unlawful wounding, possession of two knives, and criminal damage but was acquitted of the more serious charge of wounding with intent.
The incident occurred in Birmingham, where Alfatih was under surveillance by a counter-terrorism unit at the time of the attack. The footage presented in court showed him wielding two large kitchen knives outside his home in Kings Heath. Alfatih explained that he chased the bailiff across the street to intimidate him after the bailiff clamped his wife’s car due to unpaid debts. A struggle had taken place inside the family’s terraced house, resulting in injuries to the bailiff who required hospital treatment. Notably, jurors were not informed about Alfatih’s deep connections to Hamas or his previous role as a bodyguard to the organization’s former leader, Ismail Haniyeh.
While detained following the knife attack, Alfatih, who was born in Germany, was re-arrested based on an extradition request from German authorities. They accused him of involvement in a scheme targeting Israeli interests in Central Europe, also mentioning his ties to Hamas. Alfatih is expected to be extradited to Germany after he completes his sentence in the UK. His earlier career included attending a VIP protection course, after which he traveled with Haniyeh to Egypt and other countries between 2006 and 2008, although he was later dismissed due to his conduct. He is the second son of Bassem Naim, a former Hamas health minister, and has spent time living in Malaysia, Qatar, and Turkey before settling in the UK.
Throughout the two-week trial held at Birmingham Crown Court, video evidence highlighted Alfatih’s aggressive behavior, including striking a van’s window with a knife. He claimed self-defense, stating the attack followed the death of one of his brothers in Gaza and that his mental state was compromised by earlier traumatic experiences, such as being shot twice and tortured during a 25-day detention in Egypt in 2010. His defense lawyer argued that Alfatih’s actions were influenced by deep-seated fear and desperation. After more than six hours of deliberations over three days, the jury found him guilty. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. A Home Office spokesperson reiterated the UK government’s condemnation of Hamas, emphasizing its status as a proscribed terrorist organization
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