Former Al Qaeda agent faces investigation

A former British Al Qaeda fundraiser and recruiting agent turned anti-terror campaigner, who met McNulty last July to discuss ideas about tackling radicalization, faces police investigation after writing a book about his experiences as a terrorist.

A British Pakistani from Manchester, Hassan Butt, allegedly raised tens of thousands of pounds for terror networks but left Al Qaeda after the London Bombings of July 2005, saying he wanted to wean young people away from terrorism.

“I realised that the jihadi network was not killing for the sake of Islam, it was killing for the sake of causing terror and causing havoc,” Butt said.

Greater Manchester Police have won the right to force an independent journalist who has co-authored a book along with the 27-year-old former jihadist to hand over its draft manuscript and notes.

A court ruled last week that police could seize notes and documents from the journalist, Shiv Malik.

Butt, who used to travel between Pakistan and Britain as a terror agent, claimed the continued investigation threatens his counter-terrorism work and offered to speak to the police.

He said: “I’m saying, put me in prison, that’s fine, but think of the damage you are going to do to the effort to de-radicalise extremist Islam in this country.”

Having left the network in January 2006, Butt is said to have been working with some of his original recruits to wean them away from terror.

“It’s not easy being hunted by jihadis who want to kill you, moderate Muslims who think you have betrayed Islam, and the Manchester police who might want to prosecute me,” Butt said.