Azhar Ahmed Found Guilty For 'Unacceptable' Facebook Jibes At Dead British Soldiers

[Me. I Am Salman]

A man who posted a message on Facebook following the deaths of six British troops which said "all soldiers should die and go to hell" has been found guilty by Huddersfield Magistrates' Court.

Azhar Ahmed, 20, admitted posting the status update after reading about the deaths of the soldiers in March.

The six soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in the deadliest single attack on British forces in Afghanistan since 2001.

Huddersfield Magistrates Court heard Ahmed posted his message two days after the deaths.

It said (all sic): "People gassin about the deaths of Soldiers! What about the innocent familys who have been brutally killed.

"The women who have been raped.

"The children who have been sliced up!

"Your enemy's were the Taliban not innocent harmful (sic) familys (sic).

"All soldiers should DIE & go to HELL! THE LOWLIFE ********N SCUM!

"gotta problem. go cry at your soldiers grave and wish him hell because thats where he is going."

Ahmed told the court he immediately started to receive critical comments on his page and realised the second half of his post was "unacceptable".

But he denied it was "grossly offensive", telling a district judge he thought it would have been "upsetting" and caused "distress".

Ahmed denied sending a message which was grossly offensive but was found guilty. He will be sentenced later.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/14/azhar-ahmed-trial-man-20-found-guilty-for-unacceptable-facebook-jibes-dead-soldiers_n_1884052.html


Stupid comment to make but SERIOUSLY being charged for freedom of speech? According to police it was a "racially aggravated public order offence"
..what the hell?

[Livia]

As the widow of a British soldier, I do find his comments grossly offensive and upsetting and I hope they bang the *******er up.

[Shaun]

eh denying it is a bit ridiculous, just apologise and admit it :bored: moron

[Jack_]

Ah selective sentencing, isn't that lovely. I wonder if the same would've happened had he said the same to his next door neighbour?

No denying what he wrote was a bit stupid, but really? Pathetic.

[lostalex]

I guess this case is very difficult, because was he just wishing death on people? or was he INCITING people to take action against soldiers and to kill them. If he was encouraging other people to kill troops, then it's absolutely a crime. I don't know if that's what he was doing though.

This is a tough one. The language he used is a bit ambiguous.

From the quotes you've provided, i'd say that he wasn't specifically encouraging people to kill anyone, and he was just expressing his own rage against the military, so i don't think it's necessarily a crime. he didn't specifically ask anyone to use violence against anyone.

[Kazanne]

As the widow of a British soldier, I do find his comments grossly offensive and upsetting and I hope they bang the *******er up.

I agree Livia,some of the younger members of society have no respect for anything,some of the stuff on FB is horrendous,what goes on in the minds of some people who can even think such thoughts,i had a link to a page last week to a page that told you how to kill barking dogs!!! You'de think FB would crack down on such idiots.We should be proud of the people who put their lives on the line,sorry for your loss.

[Livia]

Ah selective sentencing, isn't that lovely. I wonder if the same would've happened had he said the same to his next door neighbour?

No denying what he wrote was a bit stupid, but really? Pathetic.


People sticking up for this piece of crap and saying it's his "right" to insult our dead soldiers.... that's pathetic. By that logic it's okay for someone to stick an amateurish video of Mohammed online without the Arab world exploding with rate and killing people.

[Livia]

I guess this case is very difficult, because was he just wishing death on people? or was he INCITING people to take action against soldiers and to kill them. If he was encouraging other people to kill troops, then it's absolutely a crime. I don't know if that's what he was doing though.

This is a tough one. The language he used is a bit ambiguous.

From the quotes you've provided, i'd say that he wasn't specifically encouraging people to kill anyone, and he was just expressing his own rage against the military, so i don't think it's necessarily a crime. he didn't specifically ask anyone to use violence against anyone.

If you were closer to a dead soldier you might feel less willing to defend him, I think.

[lostalex]

If you were closer to a dead soldier you might feel less willing to defend him, I think.

But maybe i'm a bit more objective about it because i'm not? and just for the record i have 3 family members(first cousins that i grew up with that were basically as close as brothers and sisters) that have served in afghanistan and iraq.

I understand that what he said was incredibly offensive and disgusting. But offensive and disgusting shouldn't be a crime.

I'm sorry for your loss and grateful for your sacrifice Livia.

[Me. I Am Salman]

Ah selective sentencing, isn't that lovely. I wonder if the same would've happened had he said the same to his next door neighbour?

No denying what he wrote was a bit stupid, but really? Pathetic.

This was the point I was trying to make Livia but I'm sorry to hear about that :(

[Livia]

But maybe i'm a bit more objective about it because i'm not? and just for the record i have 3 family members(first cousins that i grew up with that were basically as close as brothers and sisters) that have served in afghanistan and iraq.

I understand that what he said was incredibly offensive and disgusting. But offensive and disgusting shouldn't be a crime.

I'm sorry for your loss and grateful for your sacrifice Livia.

Thanks...

The fact is, it is a crime or the person responsible would not have been found guilty. Anyhoo...I'm going to leave this thread now because it's too close to the bone for me.

[armand.kay]

But maybe i'm a bit more objective about it because i'm not? and just for the record i have 3 family members(first cousins that i grew up with that were basically as close as brothers and sisters) that have served in afghanistan and iraq.

I understand that what he said was incredibly offensive and disgusting. But offensive and disgusting shouldn't be a crime.

I'm sorry for your loss and grateful for your sacrifice Livia.
This.

[lostalex]

Thanks...

The fact is, it is a crime or the person responsible would not have been found guilty. Anyhoo...I'm going to leave this thread now because it's too close to the bone for me.


That's true, and the UK is one of the most civilized and peaceful countries in the world and he was convicted under the laws of the land there. I'm not advocating that the Uk should change it's laws, this man lives in the UK and as a citizen agree's to follow the laws of the UK, he clearly broke them.

I was just giving an American perspective, but American perspective doesn't matter in this case, you follow the rules and laws of the country you choose to live in, so i'm not criticizing this decision by UK courts.


And i think you add an interesting dimension to this conversation Livia, i hope you arn't leaving the discussion because of me. by saying that you, as someone who has been directly affected, that it makes you feel better, and you agree with it, so well done UK courts. I'm glad that you feel that justice has been done, i mean that sincerely.

i don't think everything that works for America works for the UK and vice versa. I appreciate that there are differences.

[King Gizzard]

Love how these people always blame the soldiers when they don't have any say whatsoever where they are deployed