A police officer in his 30s has been arrested by Counter Terrorism Police on suspicion of supporting Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. The officer was detained at a residence in
Gloucester under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Following his arrest, he was taken to a police custody facility outside the Gloucestershire area.
According to Gloucestershire Police, the suspected support for Hamas is linked to the officer’s online activity. Specialist officers are now conducting searches of a vehicle and an address in Gloucester as part of the investigation.
Gloucestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Arman Mathieson acknowledged the concern this arrest may cause within the community, as well as within the police force. Mathieson noted that the suspected support pertains to online activity and that the searches primarily aim to retrieve digital devices for analysis. He emphasized that the arrest is a step to facilitate a thorough investigation, and urged against drawing conclusions at this stage.
The UK Government classified both the military and political wings of Hamas as a terrorist organization in 2021, making it illegal to support, join, or display any form of support for the group. Violations of this classification can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years or a fine. Photo by Postdlf, Wikimedia commons.
