The news emerged after a British court founded guilty Al-Fatah of unlawfully injuring a bailiff, having knives, and criminal damage.
Al-Fatah is far from the only person with declared or recorded Hamas ties to have actually made Britain his home.
The Jerusalem Post examined several people, their connections to Hamas, and their migration status, exposing a history of supposed Hamas activity in Britain that extends back years.Mohammed Al-Fatah
Mohammed Al-Fatah, 40, likewise called Mohammed Naim, is the child of senior Hamas authorities Bassem Naim and a previous bodyguard of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
He was founded guilty last Friday at Birmingham Crown Court in the UK of injuring an enforcement officer and triggering criminal damage.
At the time of the attack, a British counterterrorism system was currently surveilling Al-Fatah. He had actually formerly been apprehended and launched on bail on suspicion of an offense associated to supporting Hamas.
Al-Fatah is likewise desired in Germany on suspicion of playing a main function in a Hamas plot to perform terrorist attacks versus Israelis and Jews in Europe around the 2nd anniversary of the October 7 attack.
Al-Fatah was born in Germany and raised in the Gaza Strip. He got here in the UK in 2014, was approved political asylum in 2015, and ended up being a British person in 2020.
Al-Fatah is partly called in a different indictment in Germany released in September. Described in German court files as “Mohammed A.,” he is stated to have actually played a popular function in the Hamas network and had connections to the company’s management.
Among the most major accusations is that Al-Fatah had actually taped a video ahead of time declaring obligation on behalf of Hamas for the prepared attack, even before it had actually happened.
In spite of this, the UK judge advised jurors to think about Al-Fatah an individual of previous excellent character due to the fact that he had no previous criminal convictions in Britain.
He is stated to have actually been residing in Birmingham with his better half and kids.
Muhammad Qassem Sawalha
Another recognized Hamas member who resides in the UK is Muhammad Sawalha (likewise called Abu Obada).
According to a 2019 Israeli federal government report, Sawalha, born in 1961 in Tubas, functioned as a senior Hamas military authorities in the West Bank in the late 1980s, around the time of Hamas’ starting.
Sawalha then got away the West Bank to Jordan utilizing created identity files in October 1990, before continuing to Britain, where he has actually been living considering that.
In spite of leaving the area, Sawalha continued to be active in Hamas.
An August 20, 2004, United States Department of Justice news release called Sawalha as a co-conspirator in a federal indictment including Hamas funding and terrorist operations.
According to the filing, Sawalha satisfied senior Hamas figures Muhammad Salah and Mousa Abu Marzook in August 1992 to talk about restoring terrorist operations in the West Bank, determining operatives who might take part in the effort.
In January 1993, Sawalha supposedly fulfilled Salah in London and advised him to supply funds to Hamas members in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
According to an Israeli intelligence report, Sawalha continued to be active in Hamas for a minimum of the next 20 years, functioning as a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau in between 2013 and 2017 while in London.
Throughout this time, he took part in 2 delegations of senior Hamas authorities to Moscow (September 2017 and July 2019)
Considering that remaining in the UK, Sawalha established the Muslim Association of the UK (MAB) and consequently the British Muslim Initiative (BMI). He was likewise a crucial figure in preparing the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010, and in 2013 was stated by Israel’s Defense Minister as an operative of a prohibited association due to his ties to Hamas.
In 2013, the Sunday Times ran a front-page examination exposing that Sawalha resided in north London, had actually gotten British citizenship, and had actually acquired a previous council residential or commercial property in Colindale at a considerable discount rate.
According to the Timesthe dad of 4 got a ₤ 112,300 discount rate on the ₤ 320,700 home from Barnet Council, in spite of being notified in 2020 by the UK Lawyers for Israel project group about his background.
Zaher Birawi
Simply a couple of miles far from Sawalha’s London home can be discovered another declared Hamas operative: Zaher Birawi.
Barnet resident Birawi has actually been active in Palestinian political and advocacy companies in Britain, consisting of the Palestine Forum in Britain and efforts arranging flotillas to Gaza.
Israeli federal government publications recognize him as a Hamas-linked activist based in Britain, for which he is designated.
In October 2023, Labour MP Christian Wakeford called Birawi in Parliament as a supposed Hamas operative living in north London.
Birawi was likewise formally approved by the United States in January 2026 due to his function in helping and supporting a group with ties to Hamas.
Both Birawi and the company he established, now working as its basic secretary, the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), are designated by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). OFAC approved the PCPA for being owned, directed by, or having actually acted upon behalf of Hamas. Birawi himself was approved for supporting the PCPA.
On November 19, 2021, Birawi informed Hamas’s Al-Aqsa television that “Palestine can withstand Zionist profession” and “Hamas is the biggest Palestinian political celebration that won the elections. Britain will quickly be required to excuse its choice versus Hamas.”
It is necessary to state that Birawi himself has actually declined accusations that he is a Hamas operative, and has actually described parliamentary allegations as unwarranted.
Regardless of living in London, the Post might not validate whether Birawi has British citizenship or refugee status.
Another current case is that of Mosab Abdulkarim al-Gassas, likewise called Abu Wadee or Abu Wadei.
Abu Wadei went into the media spotlight in March 2025 after video appeared of him getting here in Kent, UK on a migrant boat. He formerly made not successful asylum applications in Greece, Germany and Belgium.
Abu Wadei was born in Khan Yunis and has images and videos on social networks revealing him positioning with AK-47s and tossing pipeline bombs. He is thought to have actually belonged to the Gazan “Tire-Burning Unit.”
He pleaded guilty to attempting to get in the UK on a little boat without leave or legitimate entry clearance, and served a nine-month sentence.
In October 2026, it was reported that Abu Wadei was living in a taxpayer-funded asylum lodging on Corby’s Lloyds estate with 3 other migrants. He is apparently using an electronic tag.
According to British media outlets, the Home Office wants to deport him, however it has actually been having a hard time to do so due to the federal government’s asylum policy relating to returning people to active dispute zones.
Wadei was taped informing the Northamptonshire Telegraph he no longer supported Hamas.
“That was back when I resided in Gaza under Hamas guideline,” he stated.
“Everyone understands that Hamas is a terrorist company that would eliminate us if we didn’t speak versus the Jews while living there.”
The Post can not develop that he was an official Hamas member.
Majed Khalil Moussa al-Zeer
A more recorded case includes British-Jordanian resident Majed al-Zeer, frequently described as “Hamas’s official representative in Germany.”
Al Zeer was born upon December 8, 1962, near Bethlehem. According to the Amit Terrorism and Intelligence Research Institute, Al Zeer is a British resident who relocated to Germany in 2014.
He formerly headed the London-based Palestinian Return Centre – thought about an essential Hamas arm in Europe.
On October 7, 2024 (the exact same day as the Birawi classification), the United States Treasury approved Al Zeer, mentioning his participation in the PCPA.
“The PCPA operates at Hamas’s behest,” it stated. “Al-Zeer, who served as the Chairman and President of the PCPA, as well as other senior positions, plays a central role in Hamas’s fundraising efforts in Europe and was the senior Hamas representative in Germany.”
Al-Zeer was likewise formerly recorded with previous Hamas political bureau head Isma’il Haniyeh and declared that the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre had actually been “self-defense.”
While the main United States sanctions record files a British passport provided in November 2022, it does not develop when or how citizenship was obtained.
Palestine Forum in Britain’s Ziad El Aloul and Adnan Hmidan
The Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) is a UK-based company that has actually dealt with analysis concerning its ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, as talked about formerly in the Birawi area.
2 of its popular members have actually been connected to Hamas.
The very first is Ziad El Aloul, previous PFB chairman, called by Labour MP Christian Wakeford along with Sawalha, Birawi and al-Zeer as a British nationwide with Hamas links.
Adnan Hmidan has actually held senior positions in the Palestine Forum in Britain and been related to the UK-based Al Arab in UK media.
A Jerusalem Post examination released in 2026 determined him as the creator of the Red Ribbons project, which promotes for Palestinian security detainees.
Britain’s Independent Press Standards Organization discovered enough proof for The Telegraph to explain Hmidan as pro-Hamas.
In July 2026, Hmidan was amongst 5 individuals particularly called in a House of Lords question about possible monetary sanctions versus people living in or running from Britain who were supposedly connected to Hamas.
Essam Yusuf Mustafa, likewise referred to as Essam Mustafa
A more disputed case includes Essam Yusuf Mustafa, likewise referred to as Essam Mustafa, a previous popular figure in Interpal, a British charity that United States authorities designated in 2003 over declared Hamas funding.
As being one of the starting trustees of Interpal, Mustafa was previously Secretary General of the Union of Good.
In November 12, 2008, the United States Treasury designated the Union of Good as a terrorist funding company, implicating it of carrying cash to Hamas.
The declaration particularly recognized the Union of Good’s secretary general, who was likewise vice chairman of the UK-based charity Interpal, as a member of Hamas’s executive committee under Khaled Mashaal since mid-2007.
It did not recognize that authorities by name, however modern sources recognized Mustafa as the individual holding those positions.
Mustafa has actually rejected ever serving on Hamas’s executive committee or holding any other position in the company.
He is comprehended to reside in Britain.
Azzam al-Tamimi
Another popular Hamas fan based in Britain is Palestinian-born scholastic Dr. Azzam al-Tamimi, who has actually acknowledged recommending the terrorist company and keeping close ties with its management.
In a 2006 interview with The Jerusalem Post, Tamimi exposed that he had actually taken part in workshops worrying modifications to Hamas’s starting charter and acknowledged his close relationship with senior Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal.
“I am someone who is closely associated with the movement. I don’t have an official capacity, but I help as much as I can within the limits of the law,” he informed the Post at the time.
He likewise stated the workshops had actually included Hamas leaders and specialists going over proposed charter modifications in Beirut and Damascus.
Tamimi, who has actually been determined as a British nationwide and established the London-based Al-Hiwar tv channel, has actually rejected being a Hamas member.
In December 2008, the Israeli Embassy called him Hamas’s de facto agent in London.
His activities have actually brought in examination in Britain given that a minimum of 2003, when Labour MP Louise Ellman implicated him in Parliament of keeping connections to the company, accusations he challenged.
In 2007, he released a book called Hamas: A History from Within. Much of the book is based upon interviews with Hamas leaders or on individual observation amongst the motion’s “rank and file,” according to the publisher. Tamimi was likewise explained in journalism as “close enough to Hamas to have been able to choose such a title for his book confidently.”
What British law states
Britain initially proscribed just Hamas’s military wing in 2001. In November 2021, the federal government extended the restriction to the entire company, including its political wing.
Subscription in a terrorist company and eligibility for refugee defense are not the very same legal concern.
Authorities UK asylum assistance specifies that terrorist group subscription does not instantly develop exemption from refugee status.
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