Man guilty over cartoon protests

A man who called for UK soldiers to be brought back from Iraq in body bags has been found guilty of inciting murder.

Mizanur Rahman, 24, of Palmers Green, north London, made the remarks at a protest about publication of cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad.

At the protest, held near the Danish Embassy in London in February 2006, the web designer also called for the beheading of anyone who insulted Islam.

Rahman, who was convicted at the Old Bailey, will be sentenced on 18 July.

At a previous trial in November, Rahman was found guilty of inciting racial hatred, but the jury failed to reach a verdict on the charge of inciting murder.

He was filmed at the rally talking over a loudspeaker to about 300 people.

The crowd was protesting against the publication of the cartoons in newspapers in Denmark and other European countries.

'Blood running'

Rahman said of British troops and American troops: "We want to see them coming home in body bags. We want to see their blood running in the streets of Baghdad.

"We want to see the Mujahideen shoot down their planes the way we shoot down birds. We want to see their tanks burn in the way we burn their flags."

He incited or encouraged others to murder in the name of religion
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting

Rahman denied inciting murder, claiming he had had the microphone thrust into his hand and merely echoed the chants around him.

During his first trial he apologised for his words, saying: "I didn't think anyone would take me seriously."

But Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, told the court: "He incited or encouraged others to murder in the name of religion."

'Bomb, bomb'

Rahman was remanded in custody until 18 July when he will be sentenced with three other men convicted of committing offences during the demonstration.

Umran Javed, 27, from Birmingham, was filmed shouting: "Bomb, bomb Denmark. Bomb, bomb USA."

In January he was found guilty of soliciting murder and stirring up racial hatred.

Father-of-five and BT engineer Abdul Saleem was convicted in February of stirring up racial hatred.

Saleem, from Poplar, east London, chanted, "7/7 on its way" and "Europe, you will pay with your blood".

Finally, Abdul Muhid, 24, said to be the leader of the demonstration, was found guilty in March of two charges of soliciting murder.

Muhid, of Whitechapel, east London, led the crowd chanting "Bomb, bomb the UK" and waved placards with slogans such as "Annihilate those who insult Islam".

Chief Superintendent Ian Thomas, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "We have a long history of facilitating lawful demonstration, taking into account freedom of speech.

"However, these people stepped over that line and broke the law."