Man published tweets encouraging terrorism against India

A man who published tweets encouraging terrorism against India has been sentenced.

Firoz Madhani, from Edinburgh, posted the statements to the social media site Twitter in September 2019.

The four tweets were published on 21 September 2019 and related to the conflict in Kashmir.

In one, Madhani appears to be asking Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to attack India, adding “we are ready to kill & die”. In a later tweet he adds “we will cross border and bleed them”. All the tweets refer to “Jihad”.

The 67-year-old was stopped at Edinburgh Airport on 27 November 2019 after police were alerted to his tweets and his phone was seized.

On Tuesday he was given an eight month restriction of liberty order and placed under supervision for a year after previously pleading guilty to encouraging terrorism.

Jennifer Harrower, procurator fiscal for specialist casework, said: "It is unacceptable to post messages that could encourage others to commit acts of terrorism, no matter your politics or beliefs.

"COPFS has a duty to keep the people of Scotland safe from harm and are committed to working with other agencies to ensure those committing offences under the terrorism legislation are brought to justice."