Convicted terrorist is running as a pro-Gaza city councillor | UK | News
A Muslim activist jailed for his role in an armed terror plot is set to become a Birmingham councilor in May.
Shahid Butt was convicted of carrying out bomb attacks on the British consulate in Yemen, an Anglican church and a Swiss hotel in 1999 and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Prosecutors in Yemen claimed the group was sent to commit violence by hate preacher Abu Hamza, the father of one of the convicts.
Mr Butt has been announced as the candidate of an alliance of independents which is set to contest around 20 seats in the Birmingham city council elections on May 7.
Labor is bracing for a fresh backlash from Muslim voters in May over the party’s stance on Israel, with pro-Gaza independents expected to gain.
Mr Butt will represent the Independent Candidates Alliance, founded by activists Akhmed Yakoob and Shakeel Afsar.
The two ran for seats in the second city on a pro-Gaza platform during the 2024 general elections.
Mr Butt was invited to comment by the Express via a community group’s email.
Candidate to fight for seat in ward dominated by Pakistan
Mr Butt will fight for the Sparkhill ward, a constituency where nearly two-thirds of the population is of Pakistani heritage.
Speaking in a video announcing his candidacy, he said: “With the help of Allah, with your support and with these guys behind me, I know we are going to take this.”
In an interview with the Birmingham Mail, he admitted he “made mistakes” in his youth but maintained his innocence over his terrorism convictions.
He claimed that his confession to membership in a terrorist gang was obtained through torture and that evidence was “planted” against him.
After his release from prison in 2003, Mr Butt transformed himself into an activist fighting extremism.
Ex-gang member fought ‘skinheads’ in his youth
In his early years, he was also a member of a local gang of mostly Pakistani youths who clashed with “skinheads” and traveled to Bosnia and Afghanistan.
When asked about his connections with violent groups in his youth, the 60-year-old actor expressed his regret for his actions and stated that he was a victim of racism.
He said: “I’m not an educated person, as a kid all I heard was ‘f—go back where you came from’ and ‘P—‘ and I got angry and hurt and the only way I could deal with it was to lash out.”
“I couldn’t communicate or deal with the situation any differently. I’m a big guy, I did martial arts, I did street fighting, and so I found it very easy. I didn’t develop intellectually until later. I was idealistic.”
Support for protests against Israeli football team
Mr Butt supported calls for protests against Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv during a match against Aston Villa last year. He called on “every” local Muslim to participate.
“I want Palestinians to see clips of Muslims in Palestine, Muslims in Gaza, Muslims in Birmingham standing in solidarity on their TikToks,” he said in statements reported by the Jewish Chronicle.
He also called on the demonstrators not to bring weapons to the march, saying there should be “no knives, guns, machetes, anything.”
The Birmingham MP also backed Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood’s efforts to stop boats crossing the Channel.
He told the Birmingham Mail: “I don’t want Tom, Dick or Harry, who we don’t even know who they are, to come and live in our society. This isn’t racism, it’s being a good British citizen.”
