29th January 2026
The National Jewish Assembly and We Believe In Israel are deeply concerned by reports that Shahid Butt, who was convicted in Yemen in 1999 for his role in a terrorist plot to bomb the British consulate in Aden, as well as other targets, is standing in the Birmingham local elections.
While Mr Butt has claimed to have distanced himself from radicalisation, this assertion is difficult to reconcile with more recent statements attributed to him. Reporting indicates that he supported the West Midlands Police decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a football match, repeating inflammatory accusations against Israelis, including claims of baby killing. Such language is not incidental. It reflects narratives that have long fuelled hostility, intimidation and violence against Jewish communities.
For British Jews, concerns about extremism are not theoretical. In October 2025, Jewish worshippers were targeted in a terrorist attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur. This has coincided with a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents across the United Kingdom, including attacks on synagogues, community institutions and individuals. Internationally, the mass murder of Jewish civilians at Bondi Beach in Sydney, and the killing in Washington DC last year of two staff members of the Israeli Embassy, one an Israeli national and the other an American Jew, underline the real world consequences of extremist ideology and dehumanising rhetoric.
We are also troubled by questions surrounding the networks backing Mr Butt’s candidacy, including figures associated with the Independent Candidate Alliance. Reporting notes that individuals supporting his campaign have publicly justified the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters and have themselves used highly inflammatory language about Israelis. When those advancing such views seek to place candidates with a terrorism conviction history into public office, it raises serious concerns about values, intent and accountability.
Democracy must be resilient enough to defend itself. While the right to stand for election is fundamental, it cannot come at the expense of public trust, community safety or moral clarity about terrorism and antisemitism. Past convictions, present rhetoric and current alliances all matter.
At a time of rising antisemitism and heightened communal tension, Britain must send a clear and unambiguous message that those who normalise or excuse extremist narratives have no place in public life.
National Jewish Assembly
We Believe In Israel
