A former bodyguard of slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was granted British citizenship in 2020, has been found guilty of attacking a bailiff with knives outside his home in Birmingham.
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who → slay → Birmingham
He is also wanted in Germany over an alleged plot to assassinate Israeli and Jewish targets in Europe, according to reports by Sky News and BBC.
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He → want → News
Mohammed Alfatih, 40, was convicted by a majority verdict at Birmingham Crown Court of unlawful wounding, possessing two kitchen knives and criminal damage.
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Alfatih → convict → knives
He was acquitted of the more serious charge of wounding with intent.
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He → acquit → intent
The incident took place on October 14, 2025, when bailiff Kevin Bucknall visited Alfatih's home over his wife's unpaid parking tickets.
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Bucknall → take → tickets
Court footage showed Alfatih holding a half-brick and two kitchen knives before smashing the window of the bailiff's van.
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Alfatih → show → van
Bucknall suffered a head injury and required hospital treatment, BBC reported.
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BBC → suffer → treatment
Alfatih claimed he acted in self-defence, telling the court that he wanted to scare the bailiff away after an altercation inside his home.
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he → claim → home
He also cited traumatic experiences in Gaza and Egypt, including being shot and tortured.
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He → cite → Gaza
His defence lawyer, Kate O'Raghallaigh, argued that his past experiences had heightened his perception of danger and triggered fear and desperation.
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experiences → argue → fear
Former Hamas bodyguard faces extradition to Germany
Alfatih, also known as Mohammed Naim, was born in Germany but grew up in Gaza, where he worked as a bodyguard for Haniyeh, who led Hamas from 2006 to 2017. Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran in 2024.
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Haniyeh → face → 2024
Alfatih claimed asylum in the UK in 2014 and was granted British citizenship in 2020, Sky News reported.
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News → claim → 2020
German authorities accuse him of playing a prominent role in an alleged plan to target Israeli and Jewish people in Germany and neighbouring Austria.
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authorities → accuse → Germany
He was arrested in London in November 2025 on a German arrest warrant.
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He → arrest → warrant
According to the German indictment, Hamas's military wing, the al Qassam Brigades, allegedly established weapons depots in Europe.
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wing → accord → Europe
The stockpile reportedly included a fully automatic rifle, 13 functioning pistols and more than 700 rounds of ammunition.
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stockpile → include → ammunition
Alfatih is accused of meeting an accomplice in Berlin twice in the summer of 2025, collecting five pistols and ammunition before transporting the weapons to Austria and storing them in Vienna.
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Alfatih → accuse → Vienna
Sky News reported that German media had published images from a pre-recorded video allegedly recovered during the investigation.
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media → report → investigation
In the footage, a man identified as Alfatih is seen wearing a black balaclava and sunglasses and speaking Arabic while vowing revenge for what he described as the Israeli "genocide" in Gaza.
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he → identify → Gaza
The 40-year-old was also questioned by British counter-terrorism police over alleged Hamas-related material found on his mobile phone, including a video referencing the October 7, 2023, attacks and an image of an al Qassam Brigades fighter, according to Sky News.
However, the UK police investigation into suspected support for Hamas was subsequently dropped.
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investigation → question → Hamas
Alfatih is expected to be extradited to Germany after completing any custodial sentence imposed in the UK.
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Alfatih → expect → UK
His extradition proceedings have been put on hold pending the outcome of the British criminal case.
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proceedings → put → case
The judge has adjourned sentencing until January 11 and remanded him in custody.
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judge → adjourn → custody
A Home Office spokesperson said: "There can be no place in our society for those who engage in violence or seek to facilitate terrorist attacks against innocent people."
"Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation, and we condemn those who choose to support its activities and further its aims," the spokesperson added.
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spokesperson → say → aims
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