A British Muslim was today found guilty of encouraging terrorist murder during a protest against cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
Abdul Muhid (24), led a crowd chanting "Bomb, bomb the UK" and produced placards with slogans such as "Annihilate those who insult Islam", the Old Bailey heard.
Others read "Fantastic four are on their way" and "3/11 is on its way", referring to the deadly terrorist attacks on London and Madrid.
Muhid, of Seagrave Close, Whitechapel, east London, was found guilty by a jury on two counts of soliciting murder, and remanded in custody by Judge Brian Barker, the Common Serjeant of London.
The father of two was said to be one of the organisers of the demonstration in central London on February 3rd last year.
Afterwards, David Perry QC, prosecuting, told the court Muhid had a previous conviction for smashing a bus shelter in Walthamstow market "which was displaying an advertisement which he said offended his religious beliefs".
Mr Perry added: "That incident took place after another incident in which it was alleged he had been asserting that British soldiers would die in Muslim lands."
Muhid was fined £50 for the offence at Stratford Magistrates' Court in August 2004, he said.
During the trial over the cartoons protest, Muhid had told the jury it was meant to show the "hurt and distress" felt by Muslims after the drawings were published in a Danish newspaper.
They included a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed as a terrorist and had sparked angry demonstrations across Europe and the Middle East.
But Mr Perry told the court that the real purpose of the protest in London was to encourage terrorism.
Muhid, a halal meat inspector, saw himself as a "soldier" engaged in a struggle against those he believed had insulted Islam, and exhorted people to commit "terrorist killing", the court heard.
He was wearing a jacket bearing the slogan "Soldier of Allah" during the march from Regents Park mosque to the Danish embassy in Knightsbridge.
The jury was also told that Muhid was responsible for, or participated in, the burning of a Danish flag soaked in an accelerant.
Police did not carry out arrests during the protest for fear it might spark violence and instead decided evidence of any criminal offences would be gathered using video recording equipment.
PA