UK counterterrorism police raid home of Electronic Intifada journalist

UK counterterrorism police raided the north London home of The Electronic Intifada [EI] associate editor Asa Winstanley over social media posts which allegedly encourage "terrorism".

The raid took place just before 6 a.m. on Thursday, during which around 10 police officers searched Winstanley's home, according to a report by EI.

The officers presented a letter from the Counter Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police Service informing Winstanley that although they were aware of his profession, the police were investigating offenses relating to the "encouragement of terrorism", according to EI.

The letter also state that it was part of an operation named "Operation Incessantness", according to EI, which speculated about whether it was "indicative of a broad and ongoing crackdown against critics of Israel's British-backed crimes".

EI added that an officer at the raid told Winstanley that the investigation was related to his social media posts.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed to The New Arab that the raid was conducted by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command.

"This was carried out as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected terrorism offences contrary to section 12 of the terrorism act (TACT, 2000 (support of a proscribed organisation), and sections 1 and 2, TACT 2006 (dissemination of terrorist documents)."

The Met also said that no one was arrested during the raid, but that electronic devices were seized and that enquires would continue.

Director of EI, Ali Abunimah, said on X that Winstanley could "count on our full support and solidarity".

Winstanley has been writing for EI since 2009 and became an associate editor in 2012.

In 2023 he published a book titled "Weaponising Anti-Semitism: How the Israel Lobby Brought Down Jeremy Corbyn."

In a statement to The New Arab, Winstanley said that he had dedicated his career to journalism and "telling the truth but right now my priority is the protection of my sources".

"We are taking legal steps to ensure that happens," he said, adding that "journalism is not a crime."

The police raid of Winstanley's home is the second incident of police involvement against journalists in the UK following the detention of Richard Medhurst under the same counter-terrorism legislation earlier in August.

His arrest was condemned in a joint statement from the International Federation of Journalists and the National Union of Journalists, who warned that using counter-terrorism legislation against journalists would hurt press freedom.

Police have also arrested pro-Palestine activists, including members of the group Palestine Action.