In past posts, Alaa Abd el-Fattah had referred to British people as “dogs and monkeys”, praised Osama bin Laden, denied the Holocaust, said he hated white people, and called for the killing of “Zionists”, including civilians.
Keir Starmer, is facing mounting political pressure after publicly welcoming the return to the UK of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, an Egyptian-British activist whose past social media posts include endorsements of violence against Jews, Israelis and police officers.
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, has written to Sir Keir demanding answers about what the Prime Minister knew of Abd el-Fattah’s record before describing himself as “delighted” at his arrival in Britain and thanking Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, for granting him a pardon.
Abd el-Fattah, who holds dual British-Egyptian citizenship, arrived in the UK on Friday after Egypt lifted a travel ban imposed following his release from prison earlier this year. He has spent more than a decade in detention in Egypt on various charges, including protesting against the government and “spreading false news”.
In a post on X, Sir Keir said Abd el-Fattah’s case had been a “top priority” for his government and said he was “delighted” that he had been reunited with his family. Similar messages were issued by senior cabinet ministers, including the foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, and the justice secretary, David Lammy.
However, the Prime Minister’s comments have sparked a backlash after renewed attention was drawn to Abd el-Fattah’s historic online statements, many of which date from the late 2000s and early 2010s. In posts since deleted, he referred to British people as “dogs and monkeys”, praised Osama bin Laden, denied the Holocaust, said he hated white people, and called for the killing of “Zionists”, including civilians. He also wrote that “police are not human” and urged people to “burn the City or Downing Street” during the 2011 London riots.
Some of the remarks previously led to controversy, including the withdrawal of his nomination for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2014. At the time, Abd el-Fattah said his words had been taken out of context and were written during periods of conflict, later saying he was “completely reconciled” to a Middle East that included Israel while opposing what he described as apartheid policies.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, dated 27 December, Jenrick said Sir Keir’s public welcome went far beyond quiet diplomatic support and amounted to a personal endorsement. He asked whether the Prime Minister was aware of Abd el-Fattah’s past statements before issuing his message, whether he condemned them “without qualification”, and whether he would withdraw what Jenrick described as an “unalloyed endorsement”.
“The timing could scarcely be worse,” Jenrick wrote, citing recent antisemitic attacks and heightened concern within Jewish communities. He said that while no one should be imprisoned arbitrarily or for peaceful dissent, the Prime Minister should not place the authority of his office behind someone whose own words had crossed into “racism and bloodshed”.
In comments to The Telegraph, Jenrick accused the government of bringing “an extremist” into the country and said ministers appeared more interested in political symbolism than public safety. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said both Labour and the Conservatives had been too willing to “open our doors to the wrong people”.
Jewish groups and campaigners have also criticised ministers. Alex Hearn of Labour Against Anti-Semitism said it was “reckless” for ministers to celebrate Abd el-Fattah’s return, while the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism questioned whether the government had properly assessed his record. Some campaigners have called for a review of how Abd el-Fattah was granted British citizenship and whether it could be revoked.
The government has defended its position, with a spokesperson saying Abd el-Fattah is a British citizen and that securing his release and return had been a long-standing priority under successive governments. Abd el-Fattah has been approached for comment.
Image: Alaa Abd El-Fatah – http://www.manalaa.net/node/87368 Profile photo of “Alaa Abd El-Fatah. Uploaded: 23 March 2011 CC BY-SA 2.5
