| Hateland -
Articles |
08/03/02
- Man jailed for harassing Muslim after September 11 attacks
Rebecca Allison
Guardian
A former leader of the Ku Klux Klan in Britain was yesterday
given three months in jail for racially harassing a Muslim
shopkeeper following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Allan Beshella, 52, of Maesteg in south Wales, was found
guilty at Cardiff crown court of racially aggravated harassment
against Mohammed Nawaz and his family. Beshella was also
placed under a two-year restraining order.
Campaigners said they were disappointed with the length
of the sentence. Mr Nawaz said he would move away as soon
as possible because of his fear Beshella might return
on his release.
The court was told that Beshella entered the shop and
off licence on September 14 last year, and questioned
Mr Nawaz and his wife on their religion and their opinions
of the terrorist attacks in the US.
Beshella told Mr Nawaz, 37, that he was a member of the
Ku Klux Klan, the American racist organisation. Before
leaving he made other remarks that frightened Mr Nawaz,
such as repeating words to the effect of "Kill the
Jews", Ieuan Bennett, prosecuting, told the court.
Beshella returned two weeks later with a friend and began
quizzing Mr Nawaz, who lives above the shop with his wife,
Nusrat, three children, and 75-year-old mother. He asked
what Pakistan was going to do about the Taliban, and why
Muslim women wore a veil.
A female assistant told the police she heard Beshella
use the term "black bastard". The other man,
who was not named, asked Mr Nawaz for two cans of beer
but allegedly refused to pay, saying: "You've got
a pretty face. I'm going to mess it up."
He has also been charged in connection with the incident
and is due to appear in court at a later date. When Beshella
was arrested he denied making offensive remarks or trying
to frighten Mr Nawaz and his wife, but did admit telling
them he was the "klan man".
Martyn Kelly, defending, said Beshella had been involved
in "an organisation" while in America. Judge
Christopher Llewellyn-Jones QC said Beshella's menacing
comments had frightened Mr Nawaz and his wife.
"It's not so much the words, but the underlying menace
that is the aggravating factor in this offence,"
he told the defendant. Outside court, Mr Nawaz said: "I
was expecting a lot longer sentence.
I will be moving out of the area if he is going to be
coming back here in three months. It really worries me."
Jeff Hurford of the Bridgend Coalition Against Racism
said: "This is a man who has terrorised an area for
a long time. There's been a petition supporting the family.
It has got hundreds of signatures." |
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