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Fury as ISIS terrorist living in £300,000 three-bed council flat
Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, a former associate of Anjem Choudary who was convicted of supporting Islamic State, is reportedly living in a subsidised three-bedroom London flat valued at £300,000. The article says he is also posting religious material for teenagers on TikTok, prompting renewed concern about his influence and potential security risks.
Rahman, 43, received a four-year sentence in 2007 for comments about British soldiers and a five-and-a-half-year sentence in 2016 after pledging allegiance to Islamic State. He now works as an accountant and runs a cultural education consultancy, while publishing books under the name Abu Baraa; one book is described as encouraging jihad training and restricting women’s freedom. Security expert Anthony Glees called Rahman a serious national security threat and urged counter-terrorism police to act.
In short
- Former Islamic State supporter reportedly lives in a subsidised London flat.
- He is said to be sharing religious material with teenagers online.
- A security expert has urged counter-terrorism police to act.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A subsidised council home should be allocated according to need and housing rules, not withdrawn as an extra punishment after a sentence has been served. Rahman’s convictions and reported online activity may warrant careful safeguarding and counter-terrorism scrutiny, but any action should be based on evidence of present risk and applied through due process.
The case against
A scarce, subsidised three-bedroom home is a public resource, so its allocation can reasonably be questioned if a convicted terrorist is receiving substantial support while other families face urgent need. His reported material aimed at teenagers and described advocacy of jihad training could also justify close scrutiny of whether his activities pose a current risk, with protective action grounded in evidence and the law.
Explained simply
Anjem Choudary is a British Islamist preacher whose associates have faced scrutiny over support for extremist groups. Mohammed Mizanur Rahman was jailed in 2007 over comments about British soldiers and again in 2016 after pledging allegiance to Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
After his release, Rahman has worked as an accountant and run an education consultancy, while publishing books under the name Abu Baraa. His past convictions and online religious material aimed at teenagers have renewed questions about how authorities assess the risk posed by people convicted of supporting terrorist groups.
The reported flat is described as subsidised housing, where rent is reduced or allocated under public housing rules. The case has also raised questions about access to such housing and how public agencies balance eligibility rules with security concerns.