Convicted terrorist who plotted consulate, church bombings to run in UK election

Fox News - WorldCenter-RightEN 3 min read 100% complete by Efrat LachterJanuary 29, 2026 at 06:19 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Shahid Butt, a Muslim activist convicted in Yemen in 1999 for his involvement in a terror plot to bomb the British consulate and other sites, is running in the May 7 Birmingham City Council elections. Butt, a candidate for the Independent Candidates Alliance, will contest the Sparkhill ward, an area with a large Pakistani population. He maintains his innocence, claiming his confession was coerced. His candidacy comes amid heightened communal tensions in Birmingham, particularly following protests surrounding a Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer match where Butt called on Muslims to show solidarity with Palestinians. Authorities barred the Israeli team's supporters from attending the game due to security concerns.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Henry Jackson Society 30% The Daily Telegraph ×230% Emma Schubart 30% Aston Villa 30% Independent Candidates Alliance 40% Aden 40% Maccabi Tel Aviv ×250% Yemen ×250% Abu Hamza 60% UK ×360% Birmingham ×570% Shahid Butt ×690%

Keywords

shahid butt 100% terrorism 90% uk election 80% extremism 70% birmingham 70% communal tensions 60% public order 50% foreign policy 50% identity politics 50% abu hamza 40%