London father convicted of sharing dozens of terrorist videos on Facebook

A father-of-two from north London has been convicted of sharing terrorist material on social media. Mehdi Bira, 45, from Camden, was found with nearly 50 terrorist-related videos on his phone and computer, sharing some of them on Facebook.

He was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday 14 August of two counts of dissemination of terrorist material, contrary to section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006. He will be sentenced on 7 September at the Old Bailey.

The court heard how Bira was arrested in September last year at his home in Hampstead Road after counter-terrorism officers became aware he had been posting extremist material on his Facebook account.

Met Police officers seized his phone, computer and media devices from his home, with forensic analysis confirming Bira had been sharing the videos to his Facebook followers.

In all, officers found 48 terrorist-related videos on his devices. Bira was charged on 7 December with three counts of dissemination of terrorist material. At his trial he was found not guilty of the third count, which alleged he used WhatsApp to disseminate terrorist material.

Detective Chief Superintendent Clarke Jarrett, from the Met's counter-terrorism command, said: "The distribution of terrorist material on social media is a serious offence. Such material supports terrorism and is often intended to influence and radicalise others. I would urge the public to report any extremist or terrorist material online."