A woman accused of expressing support for Hamas told a crowd the proscribed organisation is “fighting for freedom”, a court has heard.

On Monday, Bristol Crown Court heard Kwabena Devonish, 27, is alleged to have said she was “sick” of “being told to condemn Hamas”.

Devonish is accused of having expressed an opinion or belief in support of the proscribed organisation during a speech in November 2023.

The court heard Devonish had attended a march in Cardiff and addressed a crowd gathered at Ty William Morgan in Central Square.

Devonish was arrested in January 2024 after a video of the speech was posted on social media.

In a video played to the jury, Devonish said: “I would never condemn the resistance of Palestinians because their resistance is due to the occupation.

“So, if you want to talk about violence, if you want to talk about atrocities, then point the finger to the state of Israel.

“I am sick of being told to condemn Hamas, when Hamas are fighting for freedom, Hamas are fighting for the people.”

The court heard the march took place on November 11 2023 and was attended by about 500 people.

Diana Wilson, prosecuting, said: “There is no dispute this is Miss Devonish (in the video) and she is addressing a crowd, likely at the end of the march.”

Devonish, of Pentrebane, Cardiff, is charged with expressing an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas, contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000.

The trial continues.

A self-styled “keyboard warrior” who threatened Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with a knife emoji on social media after the October 7 Hamas atrocity has appeared at the Old Bailey to be sentenced.

Accountant Mohammed Nafees Ahmed, 32, dedicated his X account to Gaza and Israel after the terrorist attack on Israel last autumn, the Old Bailey heard.

On Thursday, the defendant, from Tipton in the West Midlands, appeared at the court to be sentenced after pleading guilty to eight charges of supporting a proscribed terrorism organisation.

Opening the facts, prosecutor Peter Ratliff said the charges related to a five-month period when Nafees Ahmed posted messages of an “antisemitic, violent and threatening nature”.

At the time, the defendant had 19 followers but his account was open for anyone on the X platform to view, he said.

Last October 8, then-foreign secretary James Cleverly condemned the Hamas attack.

In a response viewed 22 times, the defendant stated: “Your fool, long live Palestine long live hamas (sic)”.

Last October 11, Nafees Ahmed posted a message seen 15 times stating: “Wipe them off the map. Death to Israel and America.”

He rejected as “lies fake news” an Israeli report that terrorists had gone from house to house murdering entire families.

Other statements included “Long live Hamas, long live Palestine” and a call to “eradicate every Zionist”, the court heard.

Last November 13, then-home secretary Suella Braverman complained about the then-prime minister’s failure to address antisemitism and extremism on the streets of the UK following the October 7 atrocities.

In a post seen 13 times, the defendant replied: “You still alive you witch.”

Last November 29, he reacted to a post by US president Joe Biden by writing “Parish Juda”, meaning death to Jews.

In another offensive post, he called deputy president Kamala Harris a “crackhead cocnut (sic)”, the court was told.

Last December 8, he went on to address Labour leader Sir Keir, saying: “You Zionist, your time will come (knife icon).”

He taunted the Metropolitan Police to “come and arrest me”, describing the force as “a bunch of clowns”.

On January 12, he replied to a post by broadcaster Piers Morgan with offensive swear words and telling him: “If your 3ver s3en in London 1m (knife emoji) str8 in your throat (sic).”

Following his arrest on March 20, the defendant initially made no comment before accepting a device was his and providing the access code.

Mr Ratliff said the defendant had claimed he acted after being “distressed” by images of children killed in Gaza, when at the time he began offending it was Hamas that was killing children.

He went on: “Having regard to his use of a knife icons threatening politicians, a Jewish religious leader and broadcaster in the context of advocating attacks on Israel it is open to conclude the defendant has terrorist motivations.”

The defendant, who has no previous convictions, was charged with supporting a proscribed organisation on September 16.

On October 2, Nafees Ahmed pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to eight charges of expressing support for a proscribed organisation between October 2023 and March 2024.

In mitigation, David Martin-Sperry said the defendant acknowledged his actions were “misguided and ill thought out”, describing himself as an “idiot”.

The married father had worked as an accountant during the week and a pharmacy delivery driver at weekends, the court was told.

Mr Martin-Sperry said Nafees Ahmed’s “complete lapse of judgment” came about as a result of seeing images of injured children and he knew little about the organisation he was purporting to support.

The defence lawyer said: “He emphasises he does not see himself as being in any way antisemitic. That is his view when asked about it. He was perfectly clear. He took the position he did on seeing photos and articles presenting injuries to children.

“He has no connections with the part of the Middle East which has been so torn recently.”

On the defendant identifying himself as a “keyboard warrior”, the barrister said he was “in no sense a warrior against anybody on any score” and had been a “good person”.

Mr Martin-Sperry added: “He has contemplated his whole future during the last nine months since his arrest. The real and enduring despair his own actions have caused him cannot be under-estimated.”

It was a “wholly exceptional case”, the lawyer asserted: “He was not brought up to support one side or another in the Palestine conflict.

“He came to it entirely as a result of the postings that he saw relating to children that simply had an effect on him and caused him to stop thinking.

“He is deeply ashamed of his act of idiocy.”

Judge Nigel Lickley will sentence Nafees Ahmed from 2pm.

A 26-year-old police officer is due to appear in court charged with terror offences over messages he shared on WhatsApp.

West Yorkshire Police constable Mohammed Adil is accused of two counts of publishing an image in support of banned organisation Hamas, watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct said.

The allegations are linked to messages that he shared on WhatsApp in October and November last year.

The IOPC said he was charged on Monday following an investigation by counter-terrorism police based in the North East.

Adil, who is based in Calderdale, is currently suspended.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Read more: Israel frees Turkish woman after charging her with aiding Hamas

Reports to a UK police counter-terrorism hotline have more than doubled since the Hamas attack on Israel.

Police said that between October 7 and 25 the anti-terror hotline received around 1,350 reports, more than twice the number of contacts compared to the same period last year.

The number of reports with information useful to investigators went up by nearly four times to 200.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “Sadly, history tells us that events overseas can inspire or accelerate acts of violence much closer to home. We are working day and night with our partners to monitor the threat picture.

“We’re acutely aware of the energising effect the conflict could have on those with extremist or terrorist intent.

“With that in mind, our Counter Terrorism Units across the country are reviewing their casework and checking that operational police activity is as effective as it can be to keep people safe.

“Critical to this work is the support of the public. As the increase in the number of reports to Counter Terrorism Policing in the last month shows, there is a real willingness from our communities to tell us about their concerns.

“To those who have contacted police, thank you, your information can have a huge impact on what we do.”

The national counter-terrorism squad that monitors material online has also seen a rise in referrals, with nearly 2,000 made by the public since October 7.

Of these more than 350 have been found to require further investigation to see if the content breaks terrorism laws.

Police are urging members of the public and businesses to remain alert to the risk of possible terrorist activity over Christmas and the New Year.

Mr Taylor added: “The coming months are filled with brilliant events and activities, where people will be coming together to enjoy the festive season.

“Sadly, we have seen before that terrorists can view these as attractive targets.

“Whilst we are working incredibly hard, with our partners, to make sure you can enjoy this time of year safely – our message is simple, stay alert and trust your instincts.

“Whether you’re a business, an event organiser, a local authority or simply heading out with family and friends, if you see something that doesn’t feel right, please report it.

“You won’t be wasting our time and you could save lives.”

Reports of suspicious activity related to terrorism can be made online at gov.uk/ACT or by calling 0800 789 321.

Read more: Thousands of children referred to UK’s counter-terrorism scheme, figures show

Egypt is finalising details of a long-term truce deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, an Egyptian security source said on Thursday, amid easing tensions on the border of the enclave where some two million Palestinians live.

Cairo has brokered an interim truce that has allowed commercial goods into Gaza ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast which starts next week.

“We are putting the final touches to the terms of the truce that will be signed by all sides, and we expect to announce the terms next week if Fatah helps us to do so,” the source said, referring to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s mainstream party which dominates the occupied West Bank.

Officials from Fatah have not joined those of Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, and other Palestinian factions for the talks in Cairo on the long-term truce.

But Fatah’s backing is crucial for any deal as the party retains a large presence in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and has overall control in areas under Abbas’s Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank.

“The period of calm will be for one year, during which contacts will be held to extend it for another four years,” the source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A long-term truce could pave the way for talks on other issues, including the easing of a blockade that has crippled Gaza’s economy and allowing a possible swap of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers.

The source said Egyptian intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, was expected to meet Abbas in Ramallah after similar talks in Israel, and a deal could be announced by next week. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Kamel had met with Netanyahu in Israel this week, but gave no details.

A Palestinian source in Ramallah said Kamel has left without seeing Abbas, who had been preoccupied with a Palestinian leadership conference. But the source said Abbas had informed Egypt that Fatah representatives would join the Cairo talks later this week or next week.

EASING BLOCKADE

Apart from the opening of its Kerem Shalom commercial crossing into Gaza, Israel also expanded the enclave’s fishing zone, in waters under Israeli naval blockade, from three to nine nautical miles off the southern coast and to six nautical miles in the north, according to the head of Gaza’s fishermen’s union.

The Egyptian security source said the extended truce would also include opening a sea lane from Gaza to Cyprus under Israeli supervision.

A Palestinian official in Gaza familiar with the talks said Palestinian factions were demanding a “total lifting of the blockade on Gaza, opening all crossings with Israel and Egypt and a water corridor”.

Israel says its blockade is a self-defence measure against Hamas, a group that has called for its destruction.

Israel’s security cabinet, a forum of senior ministers headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed the Gaza situation on Wednesday and an Israeli “diplomatic official” said Hamas would have to prove its commitment to the truce.

As well as wanting calm along the border, Israel has said Hamas must return the remains of two soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war and release two civilians whose fate is unknown. It says they are being held by Hamas in Gaza.

“That’s the only way,” Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, a member of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, said on Thursday when asked if a broad arrangement depended on the return of the soldiers’ bodies.

“Nothing will be done to enable (Gaza’s) significant rehabilitation and the improvement of infrastructure and ports and other such fantasies, unless they release the bodies and the two Israeli captives,” he told Israel radio.

The Egyptian security source said the long-term truce would also envisage Israel freeing hundreds of detained Palestinians in a prisoner swap.

However, the Palestinian official denied any talks were taking place on a swap, saying Hamas opposed mixing the issues.

Egypt has brokered a Palestinian reconciliation agreement that provides for Hamas to cede control of Gaza to Abbas’s Palestinian Authority. A dispute over power-sharing has hindered implementation of the deal, but the Egyptian source said Cairo was still seeking progress on the issue.

Israel has released a Turkish woman who had been arrested while visiting on a tourist visa and accused of helping the Hamas Palestinian militant group, in a case that angered Ankara, her lawyer said on Monday.

Turkey threatened retaliation after Ebru Ozkan’s detention last month. The ex-allies have long been at loggerheads over Israeli policy toward the Palestinians and Jerusalem’s status.

Ozkan’s lawyer, Omar Khamaisi, said she flew to Istanbul on Sunday, a week after an Israeli military court indicted her. An appeals court had ordered her freed and returned her passport, he told Reuters, adding: “The indictment still stands, but I think that will be cancelled too.”

The Turkish news agency Anadlou quoted Ozkan, upon landing, as thanking President Tayyip Erdogan for having been “kind enough to be very interested in my case”.

An Israeli military spokesman had no immediate comment.

Ozkan was held at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport last month while trying to board her original flight home after a visit that took her to Jerusalem, whose Al Aqsa Mosque draws pilgrims from the few Muslim countries that have relations with Israel.

She was charged with helping smuggling money and packages to Hamas, which is classed as a terrorist group in Israel and the West, but not by NATO-power Turkey. Ozkan’s lawyer dismissed the charges as baseless and, potentially, politically motivated.

Hamas did not comment on the case.

Turkey’s Islamist-rooted government had cited Israel’s treatment of Ozkan and several other detained Turkish visitors as among “inhumane policies” that were souring bilateral ties.

Ankara vocally opposed the U.S. recognition in December of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Palestinians want a state with a capital in eastern parts of the city where Al Aqsa, as well as major Jewish and Christian shrines, are housed.