A MAN IN the UK has been given a prison sentence after threatening staff at a bookshop.
Shamim Ahmed will be serving 20 weeks in jail for threatening to damage a bookshop in London.
Sentenced yesterday, the 22-year-old has also been hit with a suspended two-year sentence, a 300-hour community order, an indefinite restraining order on any contact with the bookshop in question, and an order to pay compensation and costs.
What did he do?
In January 2015, in the wake of the attack in France that saw 12 people killed, Ahmed contacted the bookshop threatening to damage it if the magazine was sold.
The shop immediately informed the police and the case was turned over to a specialised counter terrorism command that set about finding the man responsible.
On 29 January, a search was carried out at the home of Ahmed, where a number of items were seized.
Evidence from his phone was used to support the allegation that he had made the phone calls to the shop and had also sent a threatening email.
Appearing before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 12 October, he pleaded guilty on two counts of malicious communications.
Freedom of speech
Speaking about successfully catching the man responsible, commander Richard Walton from the Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism Command, said:
We must remember the dreadful terrorist attack in Paris just days before and should not underestimate the fear that was felt by those that received these emails and phone calls. This was an attempt to intimidate and curtail the right to freedom of speech.
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