An Afghan migrant has been discovered responsible of creating a risk to kill Nigel Farage in a TikTok put up.
Fayaz Khan, 26, selected to not give proof in his trial, wherein he was accused of threatening the Reform UK chief between 12 and 15 October final yr in a video on the social media platform.
Mr Farage stated the video was “pretty chilling”.
In his closing speech, prosecutor Peter Ratliff stated the risk to kill was “not some off-the-cuff comment” and the video was “sinister and menacing”.
He stated Khan, who denied the cost, was a “dangerous man with an interest in firearms” and who had an AK-47 tattooed on his arm and face.
The Afghan nationwide live-streamed his journey throughout the English Channel from France in a small boat and was arrested on 31 October after arriving within the UK.
Picture:
Fayaz Khan posted a TikTok video of him showing to threaten to kill Nigel Farage. Pic: PA
Defence lawyer Charles Royle stated Khan was “remonstrating in his own idiosyncratic, moronic, comedic, eye-catching, attention-seeking way” quite than making a risk to kill within the TikTok video.
He advised jurors the trial was “not about your views on illegal immigration, nor about your views on face tattoos, Brexit or Reform”.
Discussing Khan’s choice to not give proof, Mr Royle stated: “You shouldn’t hold any silence against him.”
Jurors had been advised that on 12 October final yr, Mr Farage uploaded a YouTube video titled “The journey of an illegal migrant”, which highlighted Khan and referenced “young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little”.
Khan responded with a video two days later wherein he appeared to say: “Englishman Nigel, don’t talk s**t about me.
“You not know me. I come to England as a result of I need to marry together with your sister. You not know me.
“Don’t talk about me more. Delete the video.
“I am coming to England. I will pop, pop, pop.”
He made gun gestures with his hand and headbutted the camera during the video, while pointing to the AK-47 tattoo on his face to “emphasise he wasn’t joking”, Mr Ratliff stated.
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Nigel Farage outdoors Southwark Crown Court docket. Pic: PA
Mr Farage, who was at Southwark Crown Court docket for the trial, stated the video was “pretty chilling”.
“Given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried,” he stated.
“He says he’s coming to England and he’s going to shoot me.”
Different movies Khan posted on social media had been proven to the jury wherein he appeared to make “pop, pop, pop” noises and comparable gun hand gestures.
After his arrest, Khan advised police in November final yr: “It was just a video, it was never an intention to threaten him.
“It was by no means my intention to kill him or something – that is my character, that is how I act in my movies.
“In every video I make those sounds, I say ‘pop, pop pop’.”
