Afghan man jailed for threat to kill Reform UK leader Farage in TikTok video
An Afghan national was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of threatening Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party.
LONDON: An Afghan national, Fayaz Khan, has been jailed for five years following his conviction for making a threat to kill Nigel Farage, the leader of the populist Reform UK party.
The verdict was delivered by a jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.Khan was found guilty of posting a TikTok video in October 2024, where he made gun gestures and said ‘pop, pop, pop,’ in response to one of Farage's videos.
Khan, who has an AK-47 assault rifle tattooed on his face, denied that the video was a genuine threat.Farage testified at the trial, expressing his genuine worry about the threat and describing the video as ‘chilling.’ He stated that he felt it was intended to reach him.
Khan attempted to enter Britain through an unauthorized boat crossing and gave false information upon arrival, which contributed to his charges.Upon sentencing, Khan shouted at both the judge and Farage, stating, “You want to be prime minister ...
you ...
my life”.Farage expressed mixed feelings about the situation outside court.
While he was pleased with the sentence given to Khan, he voiced concern over the prospect of his eventual release from prison.
However, Khan is liable for automatic deportation.Judge Karen Steyn emphasized that Khan's threat was not mere abuse but a serious offense targeting Farage directly.
She acknowledged that as a public figure and political leader, Farage faced scrutiny, criticism, and sometimes abusive behavior.
Nevertheless, she underscored the gravity of Khan's actions in making a direct threat to kill him with a firearm.Khan had also been facing a separate charge for attempting to enter Britain without proper authorization and gave false information upon arrival.
This charge contributed significantly to his sentence, as Judge Steyn pointed out that Khan was likely avoiding legal consequences in Sweden, where he reportedly had a pending jail sentence.
The verdict was delivered by a jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.Khan was found guilty of posting a TikTok video in October 2024, where he made gun gestures and said ‘pop, pop, pop,’ in response to one of Farage's videos.
Khan, who has an AK-47 assault rifle tattooed on his face, denied that the video was a genuine threat.Farage testified at the trial, expressing his genuine worry about the threat and describing the video as ‘chilling.’ He stated that he felt it was intended to reach him.
Khan attempted to enter Britain through an unauthorized boat crossing and gave false information upon arrival, which contributed to his charges.Upon sentencing, Khan shouted at both the judge and Farage, stating, “You want to be prime minister ...
you ...
my life”.Farage expressed mixed feelings about the situation outside court.
While he was pleased with the sentence given to Khan, he voiced concern over the prospect of his eventual release from prison.
However, Khan is liable for automatic deportation.Judge Karen Steyn emphasized that Khan's threat was not mere abuse but a serious offense targeting Farage directly.
She acknowledged that as a public figure and political leader, Farage faced scrutiny, criticism, and sometimes abusive behavior.
Nevertheless, she underscored the gravity of Khan's actions in making a direct threat to kill him with a firearm.Khan had also been facing a separate charge for attempting to enter Britain without proper authorization and gave false information upon arrival.
This charge contributed significantly to his sentence, as Judge Steyn pointed out that Khan was likely avoiding legal consequences in Sweden, where he reportedly had a pending jail sentence.
