Anti-terror probe launched into Oxford Union speaker who “expressed support” for Hamas

Counter-terror police are investigating reports that an Oxford Union speaker committed an offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 by expressing support for proscribed group Hamas and its “heroic” October 7th attacks on Israel.

Miko Peled, a pro-Palestinian activist, made the comments while speaking in favour of the motion: “This house believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide.” During the debate, which took place in late November, Mr Peled said: “What we saw on October 7th was not terrorism … these were acts of heroism of a people who have been oppressed.”

Writing for Jewish News, Laura Butcher, an Oxford undergraduate who attended the debate, said that following Mr Peled’s claim, “the crowd gave its loudest whoop and cheer of the night”.

Ms Butcher added: “Even if some of the students were just mindlessly joining in the hateful clamour; even if we assume that the 200 cheering represent the core of student activists − there is no denying that extremism and antisemitism have taken hold within our student body.”

Jonathan Sacerdoti, the son of a Holocaust survivor and one of the opposing speakers, raised a point of order following Mr Peled’s remarks, saying that he believed they constituted a “criminal offence”.

He told Ebrahim Osman Mowafy, the president of the Union: “I believe you should invite the police in. His depiction of the acts of Hamas on October 7th is, under UK law – the Terrorism Act 2000 – illegal.”

Mr Mowafy reportedly responded by saying: “I’m not legal enforcement.”

Speaking to the Telegraph following the debate, Mr Sacerdoti said that the president’s refusal to intervene “effectively enabled Peled’s support for and praise of a proscribed terror group before a room full of impressionable students”.

Several complaints have since been made to police about the comments, which have been passed to specialist counter-terror officers to examine.

On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched an unprecedented and devastating assault on Israel, by land, sea and air. Over 1,200 people were killed, primarily Israeli citizens, and 250 people were taken hostage by the group.

According to Human Rights Watch, Hamas committed numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity against Israeli civilians. These crimes included rape, sexual violence and mutilation of women.

A harrowing report from the Association of Rape Crisis Centres in Israel found similar evidence:

“From the testimonies of eyewitnesses, rescue, and medical forces, a clear pattern of deliberate harm emerges to the genital organs of both men and women. This includes, among other things, direct and targeted shooting, mutilation of organs, and destruction and burning of sexual and intimate organs... Bodies of women were found with gunshot wounds targeted at the breasts and genital mutilation, some with severed breasts … Bodies of men were found with their genitalia severed, while others had their genitalia shot and mutilated… Another form of assault included the insertion of weapons into genital organs – nails, grenades, and knives.”

The report continues in this vein for 34 pages.

In 2001, the UK government proscribed Hamas-Izz al-Din al-Qassem, which was the military wing of Hamas. Twenty years later, in November 2021, the government extended the proscription to include Hamas in its entirety.

Under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, a person commits an offence if they “invite support” for a proscribed organisation, and the support “is not, or is not restricted to, the provision of money or other property”.

The Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 extended section 12, making it a criminal offence if a person “expresses an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation” and in doing so is “reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organisation”.

The maximum penalty for an offence under section 12 of the Terrorism Act is 14 years in prison and/or a fine.

Recounting the events of the Oxford Union debate for the Spectator, Mr Sacerdoti said that every pro-Israel speaker was met with jeers, coughs, and outright abuse.

He added that Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a senior Hamas founder and leader who defected to Israel’s side and saved countless lives, was met with cries of “traitor” and “prostitute” when he rose to oppose the motion. After explaining his choice to report information of forthcoming suicide bombing attacks over ten years to the Israelis, Mr Hassan Yousef asked the audience to indicate by a show of hands how many of them would have reported prior knowledge of Hamas’s preparations for the October 7th massacre.

The vast majority of the room remained still.

A spokesperson for Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said: “CTPSE is aware of reports of a person expressing support for a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas, at the Oxford Union on Thursday November 28th and enquiries are ongoing.”