Muslim guilty of stirring up race hate at cartoons protest

Published on Friday 2 February 2007 01:47

A BRITISH Muslim has been convicted of stirring up racial hatred at a protest against the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed.

Abdul Saleem, a father of five, was found guilty by an Old Bailey jury yesterday at the end of a four-day trial.

The court was told that the BT engineer was the "cheerleader" of hundreds of protesters at the event in London in February last year. Saleem, 31, of Poplar, east London, was filmed chanting "7/7 on its way" and "Europe, you will pay with your blood".

He was remanded in custody until April for pre-sentence reports.

Rock Tansey, QC, for Saleem, applied for his bail to be continued. He told the judge, Brian Barker: "He is a family man with solid roots in his community. This is an act that seems to be out of character."

But the judge said: "I am not prepared in the circumstances of this case to grant bail."

The cartoons, first published in Denmark and later across Europe - but not in the UK - had sparked widespread protests as many Muslims believe their religion forbids any depiction of the Prophet.