From terrorist in Yemen to municipal candidate in the multicultural United Kingdom
Former jihadist Shahid Butt served time in a Yemeni prison for terrorism. He now presents himself as the “ideal candidate” because his life experience will help «bring the community together» in Sparkhill, Birmingham.
Shahid is in the promotional video.
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60-year-old Shahid Butt is the Birmingham Muslim activist who is standing as a candidate in the local elections to represent the Sparkhill ward, to the south-east of Birmingham. Sparkhill is a densely populated neighbourhood, with a majority of residents of Pakistani origin and a very high Muslim presence.
The Birmingham Live has discovered that Butt was sentenced to five years in prison in the late 1990s. for participating in a jihadist terrorist plot in Yemen against a church, a hotel and the British consulate. Despite this past, He claims to be the “ideal candidate” to unite a community he considers divided.. He also says that he wants to fight the far right and to dispute control of the neighbourhood from the Labour Partya, which has been governed for decades.
But he grew up in Birmingham and was convicted of terrorism in Yemen. He had already been imprisoned in Birmingham for episodes of violence during the 1980s.. At that time, the young Shahid was part of the Pakistani gang Lynx, which violently clashed with skinheads.
You need to work out at the gym and learn how to fight.“
In recent years, Butt has released numerous videos and interviews. In some of them He has encouraged young Muslims to “work out at the gym and learn to fight.”. He said that we must be prepared for possible attacks. In another video, recorded during a protest, he stated: “Muslims are not pacifists. If someone comes at you, you rip their teeth out.”.
Another episode involving the «community candidate» occurred last November when he called on Muslims across the country to boycott a Macabi Tel Aviv match. He wanted to show support for Palestine and to prevent Israeli fans from “profaning” the city. In this context, he described them as ’IDF baby killers.“.
When asked about his violent past, Butt was explicit. “I am not a pacifist.”He said. He added that he will defend himself if he feels threatened. He also stated that he would carry out a “pre-emptive strike” if he believes that his life or that of his family is in danger.".
«I trust in the support of Allah and yours.»
Butt is standing in the elections as part of an alliance of independent candidates, alongside lawyer Akhmed Yakoob and local activist Shakeel Afsar. In the campaign launch video, he says he is confident in “the support of Allah and yours”to win the municipal seat. At the same time, he rejects party politics and maintains that he has not found any organisation where he could speak freely on behalf of the community he claims to represent.
Faced with criticism over his past and some public statements, Butt He maintains that his life experience gives him credibility with the neighbours.. He states that he will not apply Sharia law and that he will comply with British law if elected. He argues that Islamism is a “misunderstood” concept and that it can be compatible with democracy, and insists that his aim is to represent Sparkhill on Birmingham City Council.
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