Father and daughter Bisharet and Ayesha Ali ‘collected thousands of pounds from Hamas supporters across the UK’

A father and daughter gloated over the October 7 attack on Israel and collected cash donations from terrorist supporters across the UK, a court heard.

Bisharet Ali, 61, his daughter Ayesha Ali, 33, and Mohamed Patel, 50, are accused of making money available for terrorist purposes.

Bisharet and Patel are also charged with inviting support for Hamas, a proscribed organisation, following the October 7 attacks.

They are also charged with inviting others to provide money intending or suspecting it should be used for the purposes of terrorism.

All three are charged with entering into an arrangement as a result of which money or other property was to be made available to another knowing or suspecting it would be used for the purposes of terrorism.

Bisharet and Ali face a further charged of entering into a like arrangement.

The offences are said to have taken place between October 2023 and January 2024.

Prosecutor Warren Stanier said: ‘On 7 October 2023 Hamas entered Israel, civilians were killed and hostages were taken.

‘The case against Mr Ali and Mr Patel is they used social media to broadcast messages and videos that were supportive of the actions of Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation.

‘The charge against Mr Ali is he broadcast a plea of money to go to Hamas to 115 or so people. That broadcast was then disseminated out including by Mr Patel.

‘The arrangement charges relate to the collection of cash around the country in response to that broadcast from Mr Ali.

‘Ayesha Ali faces just one charge which relates to her, at the behest of her father, going to Mr Patel’s house to collect money.

‘We are talking about thousands and it’s all in cash.’

Bisharet Ali appeared in the dock today (thurs) wearing an orange t-shirt and black jacket and trousers with a long grey and black beard.

He sat next to his daughter who wore a grey head covering.

Patel appeared in court via video-link alongside his lawyers.

Patel, of Meadland Grove, Bolton, indicated not guilty pleas to all charges while Bisharet, of Barton Road, Kettering, and Ayesha, of Dixon Mews, Kettering, did not indicate a plea.

District Judge Louisa Ciecióra sent the case to the Old Bailey where the three defendants will face a preliminary hearing on 26 September.

She said all three would remain on conditional bail.