- Samina Malik
Samina Malik, the self-described
Lyrical Terrorist , was the first woman to be convicted under the UK's 2006 Terrorism Act. Malik, a 23 year-oldHeathrow Airport shop clerk fromSouthall ,West London , was found guilty of "possessing records likely to be used forterrorism ", but was earlier acquitted on the more serious charge of "possessing an article for terrorist purposes". Her conviction was later overturned on appeal.The documents in question include a
library of books on techniques ofterrorism ,firearm s and heavy weapons,poison s, and hand-to-hand combat. Many of these books and manuals are written by and forextremist Islamic groups. A large number ofpoem s and personal writings were also found, dealing with a wide range of subjects. In several poems, Malik expresses her admiration for theMujahideen , her desire to be amartyr , her approval ofbeheading s, and her contempt for non-Muslims (whom she refers to as "kuffars "). Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, Head of theMetropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command, has said that Malik associated on-line with other extremists and has accused her of being involved with "terrorist related" groups (including "Jihad Way", an organization which promotesal-Qaeda and other radicalIslamist groups). He also contends that in the past she has tried to donate money to a terrorist organization.Malik was in contact with
Sohail Qureshi .cite web| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7177702.stm | title = The terrorist and the shop girl | accessdate = 2008-06-01 | date =2008-01-08 | publisher = "BBC Online "]The name "Lyrical Terrorist" is Samina Malik's on-line handle, which she used to post poems on
extremist websites. Malik picked the name, she said "because it sounded cool". At various times she also called herself "Stranger AwaitingMartyrdom " and "Daughter of the Martyr". The last was a tribute to her grandmother who had died in 2002, Malik said.cite web| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7068945.stm | title = 'Lyrical Terrorist led double life' | accessdate = 2008-06-01 | date =2007-11-08 | publisher = "BBC Online "] That year, while attending Villiers High School, she began writing, starting with love poems. Later she turned to poetry inspired by the rap of50 Cent andTupac Shakur , writing under the name "Lyrical Babe". In 2004 she became more religious, began wearing thehijab and changed her "nom de plume" to "Lyrical Terrorist". Although herdefence council has compared her poems to the esteemed British poetWilfred Owen , Malik herself has called her poetry "meaningless". She says that her words have been taken "too literally and out of context". She is also quoted as saying "I am not a terrorist", and blames her exposure toradical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri on "the media's continuous spotlight and through his preaching, which the media continuously kept shedding light upon."Malik was held under house arrest prior to sentencing. The judge in this case, Peter Beaumont, has said that Malik is "in some respects a complete
enigma to me". He also warned that "all sentencing options" would be available onDecember 6 , when the case was due to return to court. On6 December , she was given a nine-month suspended jail sentence. She was the first woman to be convicted under the 2000 Terrorism Act.
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