Terror shopkeeper who boasted of ‘chopping off heads’ and called for ‘year of fear’ with ISIS flag to be freed in weeks
A SHOPKEEPER who boasted about chopping off the heads of enemies and called for a "year of fear" while posing with an ISIS flag is due to be released in weeks.
Mohammed Zahir Khan, 42, is set to be freed within weeks but the government is so concerned it is rushing through its emergency sentencing to keep him behind bars.
Khan, from Sunderland, was locked up after posting Facebook messages and tweets supporting ISIS and encouraging terror attacks.
He wrote: “NOTHING wrong with chopping off heads of your enemies.”
Khan later added: “Welcome to the year of fear. IS will make this year the DEADLIEST EVER. Mr Kuffar [infidel] prepare for REAL WAR."
Posts from his Twitter also called for "Death to Shias. Wallahi death to every single one of them. Insha allah.”
"BURN THEM ALIVE"
He also wrote: "They should burn them alive and make them an example to other filthy murtads".
Khan was jailed for four and a half years in May 2018 for encouraging acts of terror, disseminating terror material and inciting religious hatred.
He is the first of around 20 terror inmates due for automatic release within the next few months.
A Whitehall official described him as an “extremely concerning individual”.
Khan had promoted "lone wolf" attacks against the west, encouraged martyrdom and praised extremists for deadly attacks on American soldiers.
Welcome to the year of fear. IS will make this year the DEADLIEST EVER. Mr Kuffar [infidel] prepare for REAL WAR
Mohammed Zahir Khan
He also posed in front of an Islamic State flag for a profile picture.
On Monday night, the government pledged that terrorists could be kept behind bars even after serving their full sentence after the Streatham attack.
A new law would mean offenders would only be let out if a panel of counter-terror experts deem them safe to the public.
Ministers and officials will consider the return of indeterminate sentences for terrorists as part of a review of sentencing laws announced by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland on Monday.
NEW LAWS
Separately, he announced an emergency law will be rushed through Parliament within days to end automatic early release of some 220 prisoners currently serving terror sentences.
They will only be considered for early release when they are two-thirds of the way through their sentence.
A source confirmed to Sky News the legislation will be rushed through on Tuesday with an aim to make it law on February 27 – the day before Khan’s release.
Five other offenders are set to be freed in March unless the new law gets implemented.
MOST READ IN NEWS
It comes in the wake of Sunday’s stabbing spree by Sudesh Amman, who was automatically released halfway through his 40-month sentence two weeks ago - despite authorities saying he still posed a threat to the public.
Whitehall sources said they hope to have the changes in law by the end of next week.
They said there is “a sense of urgency” as a raft of prisoners are approaching the halfway point in their sentence who, like Amman, pose a threat to the public.
