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Kalashnikov councillor escapes SNP expulsion



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Published Date: 01 September 2008
By HAMISH MACDONELL
AN SNP councillor caught on video firing a Kalashnikov assault rifle in Pakistan has escaped expulsion from his party, it emerged yesterday.
The party's disciplinary committee decided not to expel Jahangir Hanif, and instead suspended him for two months.

The investigation into the 46-year-old Glasgow businessman's conduct was launched earlier this month after still images from the vid
eo, which showed him brandishing the weapon, were published in a newspaper.

The video was taken during a trip to Pakistan in 2005 with five of his children. Mr Hanif also showed his children how to use the gun during the trip into the mountains near the Kashmir border, according to his daughter, Noor, who was on the trip.

The councillor was suspended after the footage emerged and his party branded his actions "foolish and inappropriate".

Mr Hanif apologised for the incident, but said it was before he became a councillor.

A hearing of the SNP disciplinary committee in Edinburgh found he had breached party discipline and rules but stopped short of expelling him.

An SNP spokeswoman said that the committee's decision is subject to appeal.

Labour MSP Frank McAveety said: "It is absolutely outrageous for a public representative to be pictured with an AK-47 assault rifle.

"The SNP disciplinary committee might have refused to dump Jahangir Hanif, but ultimately it will be the voters who decide his future."





The full article contains 234 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 31 August 2008 9:42 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Scottish National Party
 
1

Fifi la Bonbon,

01/09/2008 00:11:38
The SNP disciplinary committee is perfectly entitled to dispose of the case of its millionaire councillor as it sees fit.

It is not for people from outside of the party to snipe from the sidelines.

The SNP clearly wanted to show it disapproves of the actions of its millionaire councillor that have come to light, but not to lose him and his millions of pounds of personal wealth from the party. No doubt the millionaire councillor will reflect on the consequences of his failure in judgement, a sadder, but wiser and wealthier man, and then come out with all guns blazing ready to serve the interests of all the other very wealthy property developers and landlords he was elected to represent, as well as the poor sods in his ward.

2

Senga Jean,

01/09/2008 00:22:14
Relax. He was just being American.
3

ThomasP,

01/09/2008 00:29:38
#1

Exactly. It reminds me of Tony Blair and the Labour Party several years ago. When smoking was banned from advertisment in the world of sports some person from formula1 who donated millions to the Labour party asked Tony to be excluded from the bill. Tony helped his mate...
4

Jwil,

01/09/2008 00:30:14
".....absolutely outrageous..."


Not half as outrageous as the behaviour of the Labour party!


5

Team Scotland,

, FC UK No! - 01/09/2008 00:50:19
There are a lot of very dangerous people who have not taken in the 'Wild West' atmosphere on the Hippy Trail.

Frankie boy should love this one. The future leader of 'The Peoples Party' is third from the right giving a clue to his plans for New Labour.

http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/mar2007/blairpic_01.jpg


The fact that Labour allowed itself, the counrty and large chunks of the world to be shafted by this Hooray Henry is really scary.


6

,

01/09/2008 01:07:19
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
7

Stuart W,

Dundee 01/09/2008 03:23:06
"Mr Hanif apologised for the incident, but said it was before he became a councillor."

Well that's OK then.
8

Nikostratos,

01/09/2008 05:50:53
Councillor Kalashnikov gets off lightly
Posted by Scottish Unionist at 8:22 PM. There are 0 comments.
Following the images and footage released earlier

http://www.scottishunionist.com/


see the snp 'man with a gun'
9

tomi,

01/09/2008 05:52:49
So much for tolerance within the SNP!

The SNP might have had a valid complaint had this councillor been firing this gun inside Scotland and contrary to the law.
But, it is none of their business that he should do so legally on a foreign land.

Why are British politicians so much "anti-gun"? (Except, of course, for their support for gun ownership for the land-owning aristocracy and their bird of prey slaughtering lachies, merely that other rich parasites can come to slaughter, so called, "game birds" That's very "game" of the pheasants, grouse etc.)
Are they so concerned about stopping gun crime? Or, are they more concerned about preserving the status quo and their own privilaged positions?
Remember that "gun control" was first introduced into Britain by the London establishment over fears that Scotland and the north of England might be inspired by the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and take up arms against the Government.
Perhaps that is the reason that there is so may surveilance camaras around now.
10

Nikostratos,

01/09/2008 05:54:56
Councillor Kalashnikov gets off lightly
Posted by Scottish Unionist at 8:22 PM. There are


Following the images and footage released earlier

http://www.scottishunionist.com/


see the snp 'man with a gun'


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9wXPaJgtXJI/SLrx4heXdOI/AAAAAAAAAKU/4PqQEppuEzs/s320/jahangir-hanif-ak-47.jpg
11

Nikostratos,

01/09/2008 05:56:35

see the snp 'man with a gun'


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00380/Gun2385_380382a.jpg
12

Vote UKIP,

01/09/2008 07:43:36
I'm all for the legal ownership of guns. So much for Tony B'liar's gun ban. Only government sponsored criminals are allowed to have them these days.
13

Richardinho,

01/09/2008 07:50:50
Unless he was shooting at someone, I don't see what the big deal is. If this had been some white middle class guy out on a gap year we'd have just thought he was 'having a larff'.
14

Scotland to prosper...,

01/09/2008 08:04:48
I'm sorry maybe I was dreaming, but did we not see Brown pictured behind a gun/cannon strapped to a helicopter while on one of his visits to Afganistan?

Looks like some men are more equal than others.
15

Tynietiger,

01/09/2008 08:25:57
He is suspended for 2 months for a legal action whereas Labour are complaining about Wendy being suspended for one day for an illegal act.

A lot of racism and hypocrisy here, particularly from Tories. Do they select Councilors and MPs who have gone shooting in the past? The SNP guy wasn't shooting at animals or clay pigeons.

What the SNP Councillor did (before he was elected) is perfectly legal in Pakistan and considered a bit of a tourist attraction.

16

Tynietiger,

01/09/2008 08:28:54
Frank McAveety so confident of his popularity with voters that he refused to stand in Glasgow East by election.
17

Alastair the First,

01/09/2008 08:36:40
Quote: Labour MSP Frank McAveety said: "It is absolutely outrageous for a public representative to be pictured with an AK-47 assault rifle." Unquote.

Hmm. Wasn't Gordon Brown pictured recently dressed in a flak jacket (over his suit...) sitting behind a machine gun? Bit of nauseating hypocrisy there from McAveety.

Maybe spectacularly bad judgement by that councillor but haven't many of us fired rifles in non-violent situations? I know I have - got a badge for rifle shooting in the Scouts many years ago. As a sporting activity, rifle shooting at targets is a very enjoyable pastime. It's shooting at people or animals that is a step too far.
18

fifeis great,

Kirkcaldy 01/09/2008 09:19:16
seems the gnat control are in overdrive on all the message boards protecting a man who should be expelled from politics
19

Tynietiger,

01/09/2008 09:24:37
More exciting is this story in to-days Daily Record!

GRINNING Lib Dem politician Paul Coleshill strikes a pose - at a notorious club night where police uncovered a mass orgy.
Our picture shows the Scots councillor (Glasgow Langside) and university lecturer at a nightclub where police found up to 30 men having sex behind a screen.
As the Record revealed on Saturday, uniformed officers were mistaken for strippers when they busted the orgy at world-renowed Glasgow venue The Arches.
The nightclub and theatre venue was stripped of its operating licence for six weeks after councillors on Glasgow's licensing board found out about the incident, which took place earlier this year at a night called Burly.
The Record later unearthed the posing-pouch picture of economics lecturer Coleshill, 55, which was taken at a previous Burly night.
When we asked him about the photo, he admitted he used to go to the monthly men-only night - but said he was not there on the night of the police raid.
20

stracathro,

01/09/2008 09:58:06
#11
remember your war time hero - winston churchill with his tommy gun & cigar!

21

stracathro,

01/09/2008 10:17:05
#11
or even your prince - who was shooting up plastic targets with his chums while - no doubt - the front line is out weighed with scottish fodder again.
22

Team Scotland,

, FC UK No! - 01/09/2008 10:26:55
#19 Tynietiger

The rumour is he was caught in the act with a major Labour politician. He is likely to be charged with having an offensive person on his weapon.

Like the 'Councillor Boyakasha' story this is simply low grade politics, and low grade journalism. We are emulating the USA, where politics means nothing and scandal is all. This will only result in the same undemocratic situation as in the USA where politicians are simply front men for shadowy unaccountable vested interests. By focusing on tittle tattle we lose sight of the issues that matter.


"Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people."

Eleanor Roosevelt.
23

All Politicians are the same,

Scotland 01/09/2008 10:50:43
It is not so much the firing of the rifle that is the problem so much as the fact that he was doing so in an area notorious as a breeding ground for terrorism accompanied by non unifromed personnel whose background is unkown and encouraging his children to join in.
24

Mercutio,

FALKIRK 01/09/2008 11:23:33
The SNP now has its own fifth column as do the other parties.
25

The Spook in Leith,

01/09/2008 11:37:21
study of opinion polls in August shows the party's momentum continuing in the wake of the Glasgow East by-election victory with an 11% lead in the polls as the SNP prepares for the upcoming Glenrothes by-election.

The study of all Westminster opinion polls taken in Scotland in August puts the SNP on 38% to Labour's 27% - an 11% lead - which would see the SNP gain 32 seats with Labour losing 31. A YouGov poll commissioned by the SNP at the beginning of August put the SNP lead over Labour at 7%.

Hmm, this article does not appear to be having an adverse effect on the voters.....doodle on...!!
26

Alan Reid,

nz 01/09/2008 12:10:52
18 fifeis great, Knob!
27

Miss H,

01/09/2008 12:36:29
22 Labour politician? surely not who i think you mean.

Goodness.

Whoever thought Glasgow City Council was so exciting.
28

Miss H,

01/09/2008 12:37:30
Yes OK I have a small mind.
29

JayDeeTee,

01/09/2008 12:53:42
The worry here is the double standards. If anything rometely like this was done by any other MP there would be an outcry, followed by a forced resignation. We are on our way down a very dangerous road.
30

Nevsky,

Moscow 01/09/2008 13:04:39
So McAveety thinks it is unnaceptable to be pictured with an AK47 but presumably ok for a country to enter into 2 illegal wars costing the lives of close on 1 million people.

Funny old world.
31

Doh,

01/09/2008 13:12:22
#28

I spokesrealman for the SNP vehmently denied that they
were not homophobic. He pointed out that the SNP have many English members.
32

Team Scotland,

FC UK No! 01/09/2008 13:29:29
#27 & 28 Miss H

I made the Labour politicain up to set up the punchline, but you see how these things can start.

We all love a bit of salacious gossip but the trick is to see it for what it is, tittle tattle. Firing AK-47, substitutes in Pakistans 'Bandit country', or wearing a crotchless batman suit at the Arches is funny when it happens to the other guy but it is not valid politics.
33

Doh,

01/09/2008 14:03:18


The SNP pokewoman confirmed that they would not make political capital out the unrefutable fact that all LibDems were homosexuals. Indeed the SNP admitted that
they too had many English members.



34

Allan(handofgod137),

01/09/2008 14:04:11
Nice to see wee eck keeping on osama's good side.
35

fifeis great,

Kirkcaldy 01/09/2008 14:17:08
Excellent posts, quality from gnat control and all gnat trolls, be as abusive as you like, it comes naturally to you, but never accept the fact one of wee ecks buddies is in the wrong job.
36

Scythia,

01/09/2008 14:26:22
Swedish Integration Minister - August 2007 ,

"We need to be friendly with our Muslims because when they take over, they wiil be nice to us".

Ring a bell ?
37

Team Scotland,

FC UK No! 01/09/2008 16:48:00
36 Scythia,01/09/2008 14:26:22
Swedish Integration Minister - August 2007 ,
"We need to be friendly with our Muslims because when they take over, they wiil be nice to us".
Ring a bell ?

He does indeed ring a bell, because he is a dong.
38

Miss H,

01/09/2008 17:35:27
31 I deny that you speak English.
39

gloop,

01/09/2008 20:42:26
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5752826158262183491&postID=478222437520934560&isPopup=true


Sunni said...

He never admitted that he had a flat there until he was found out by the newspapers. He wanted to reap the increase in value to his property by an improvement in the street, without letting anyone know he had a personal interest. This is immoral and underhand, he should have been sacked but the SNP failed to take action. He also rents his flat to a struggling homeless romanian family and charges them extortionate rent, because he knows it would be hard for them to find a place elsewhere.
40

Team Scotland,

FC UK No! 01/09/2008 20:56:44
Another terrorist

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article507472.ece
41

gloop,

01/09/2008 21:08:44
#41


yeah all true
42

gloop,

01/09/2008 21:09:26
#40 numpty #40
43

Team Scotland,

FC UK No! - 01/09/2008 21:39:10
#42 At least I am not as stupid as that #41 clown having a go at their own post, oh that was you.

44

boudica,

02/09/2008 00:12:48
THE decision just to suspend Councillor Hanif for firing a deadly assault rifle is at odds with the SNP's campaign to outlaw airguns.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has frequently called for the Labour Party in Scotland and the Westminster Government to bring in tougher legislation or to devolve power to the Scottish Parliament.

He has accused the "dead hand of the Scottish Office" for blocking his attempts to bring in legislation in Scotland.

In March, he accused Home Secretary Jacqui Smith of "complacency" after she declined an invitation to co-host a summit on the issue in Scotland.

His comments followed the release of figures which showed firearms casualties in Scotland rose by 25% in a year - and one in three of the casualties was a child.

In a quote which may come back to haunt the party, he said: "Communities across Scotland, indeed across the UK, will be alarmed by the apparent complacency."

Hypocrisy....Double Standards ...
45

Dutch,

Wyoming, US of A 03/09/2008 17:26:35
I'm beginning to understand why you folks in the UK are referred-to as "subjects", while we heavily-armed Americans are citizens.
.
Well.. Off to the lower pasture to file my 7.62 caliber, semi-automatic sniper rifle, then down to the bar for a beer and cigarette.
.
You can have your nanny-state safety.. I'll take a bit of dangerous freedom every time.
.
Cheerio and all that. Hip, Hip.
46

Joe-kerr,

04/09/2008 02:09:59
As I have said all along i think he was given the media and the current climate howver, how many MPs/MSPs partake in shooting with shotguns and teaching their children too shoot?

Brown sking , Pakistan,Muslim and AK47 - Ready made headline.

Would it be different with Tory MP, private estate teaching quentin aged six too shoot with a mini purdy?

DEFINATELY.

ALSO I EXPECT BOUDICA, HIGHLANGY MICHTY, ETC and a fair few LAbour members of parliament too appologise for their denigration of the funding too SIF. Given the fact they have been cleared by the spending and public accounts watchdogs.

As we have seen time and time again since 2003 and the illegal invasions, if you can't secure an islamic vote because they think your murdering b'stards. Then do them down, make up falsehoods and racially and sectarianly abuse at will. The Labour party, the peoples party! LOL!

47

Joe-kerr,

04/09/2008 02:11:05
As I have said all along i think he was DAFT given the media and the current climate

keyboard sucks ass!
48

boudica,

Glasgow 04/09/2008 11:02:56
Joe Dinsae Kerr...I would object to anyone teaching any child how to shoot a gun ...and as for the SIF ..I object to the SNP handing any money to any organisation run by Saeed because of his beleifs ..not his religious but his political beleifs he supports extremists veiws ..he may pull the wool over your blind eyes..you should read and learn more about him and his dream of a Caliphate ...that says it all

 

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