Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, 43, a convicted terrorist previously jailed for soliciting murder and inviting support for ISIS, is reportedly living in a subsidized three-bedroom council flat in North London and using TikTok to radicalize teenagers. Rahman, a former associate of hate preacher Anjem Choudary, was first jailed in 2007 for calling for British soldiers to be brought home from Iraq in body bags. He was convicted again in 2016 for pledging allegiance to the Islamic State. Despite his convictions, Rahman has been provided with heavily subsidized housing, reportedly valued at £300,000.
Security experts have warned that Rahman poses a national security threat due to his online activities. He writes under the alias Abu Baraa and has published fourteen texts on Islamic fundamentalism. Some of these texts, which were briefly available on Waterstones' website before being removed, reportedly encourage readers to train for jihad and describe Jews as 'disbelievers.' Rahman has also been known to criticize Muslim police officers and has railed against Britain and the United States, labeling them part of an 'axis of evil.'
Rahman has been using TikTok to broadcast what are described as 'highly toxic' anti-British rants to impressionable teenagers. His account was recently deleted, but he has vowed to create a new one, stating that the ban will not stop him. Videos posted by Rahman have included discussions about terrorism convictions, where he claimed that most individuals convicted of terrorism are not guilty of violence but rather of minor offenses like reading magazines or protesting. He has also criticized Muslims who join the police force.
Rahman was first arrested in 2007 after being filmed at a rally calling for the slaughter of UK soldiers in Iraq. He was imprisoned in 2016 and released in 2018. During his time in prison, he reportedly received a compensation payment after complaining about a strip search. He was seen leaving his North London flat and heading to a local mosque for prayers. When questioned about his books, he accused reporters of being extremists and denied being one himself, while attempting to downplay the crimes of imprisoned Islamic extremists.