Cardiff man sentenced for TACT offences

Khuram Iqbal, 29, from Cardiff appeared at the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey in London yesterday (Tuesday 21st December) where he was jailed for 16 months over his cryptocurrency trading on the dark web.

Iqbal pleaded guilty following a breach of a 10-year notification order by failing to tell police about two cryptocurrency accounts.  He pleaded guilty to four breaches between July 2019 and August this year.

Iqbal was previously sent to prison  in 2014 for three years and three months for disseminating terrorist publications and possessing terrorist information.

Detective Supt Jim Hall, head of the Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit (WECTU), said:

“Iqbal breached an order made under Section 4 of the Terrorism Act and had little option but to enter a guilty plea such was the strength of the evidence against him.

“We will continue to deal robustly with those who persistently break the law and pose a threat to our communities.

“I appeal to anyone who may believe someone they know is vulnerable to radicalisers to contact the police or other agencies who can then provide the necessary support.

"The sooner we can intervene, the better chance we have of preventing people from becoming embroiled in extremism and facing potential prosecution."

“With the terrorism threat level recently being increased to ‘severe’, I want to remind the public of the need to remain vigilant and if they do see or hear anything suspicious, then please get in touch and report it to us.

“Officers from across the Counter Terrorism Policing network are working day and night to protect the public from those who might seek to cause us harm. The public can really help us with that by getting in touch if they spot something of concern.”

Every year thousands of reports from the public help the police keep communities safe from terrorism. If you see or hear anything suspicious or of concern, then it can be reported to police, in confidence, via 0800 789 321 or online at www.gov.uk/ACT.

In an emergency, or if you need urgent police assistance, always dial 999.