Police launched a probe after receiving stalking allegations from two girls and a female teacher
A Southall teenager has been jailed for posessing terrorist material after police launched a probe into stalking allegations. Dihan Rahman, 19, downloaded guides on how to build bombs along with content linked to terrorist ideologies and Islamist material.
The Metropolitan Police initially launched an investigation after Rahman was accused of stalking and threatening two teenage girls. He wanted to date one of the girls, but she had turned him down.
From February to June 2024, Rahman bombarded her with messages on social media. In May, he posted images of the venue for the school prom and a photograph of a German Nazi soldier in a forest holding a gun. Rahman then went on to harass another girl in a similar way. He also made a number of malicious complaints about a teacher.
He was arrested in November 2024 after Met detectives uncovered he had posted details of the two girls and female teacher online and suggested they were involved in a ‘conspiracy’ in relation to the investigation into him. He was remanded into custody where he pleaded guilty to three counts of both possession of indecent images and stalking.
London detectives also analysed his mobile phone and computer to find a spate of content linked to terrorism and far-right ideologies. Rahman also pleaded guilty to three charges of possession of documents of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, during the second day of his Old Bailey trial in February this year.
On Wednesday, May 6 he was sentenced to four years and six months in prison, and must serve two thirds of this term in custody.
‘Another case of young people being drawn into terrorist ideologies’
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London said: “This case is yet another example of a growing and concerning trend of young people being drawn into extremist, violent and terrorist ideologies – principally from what they are exposed to and consuming online.
“Rahman’s actions towards his victims – two of whom were teenage girls – were completely unacceptable and I want to praise their incredible courage and resilience throughout this whole ordeal.
“I would also like to praise the actions of Rahman’s teachers, who contacted police with their concerns, which enabled us to intervene and investigate when we did.
“With the threat level now raised to severe, everyone can play their part to keep themselves and their communities safe. If you see or hear anything that doesn’t look or feel right, then please report it to us. Your information could help us save lives.”
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