Hakan Barac jailed for supporting Islamic State in Wales

Hakan Barac, a 28-year-old Turkish national, has been sentenced to 45 months in prison after pleading guilty to supporting the Islamic State and disseminating terrorist publications. Barac, who arrived in the UK seeking asylum, was arrested by counter-terrorism police for sharing videos on social media that glorified terrorists such as Osama bin Laden and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Prosecutors stated that his actions demonstrated a reckless disregard for the potential encouragement of terrorist activity, despite Barac's defense claiming there was no intent to encourage violence. The court highlighted that Barac's online activities reflected an extremist mindset, with material depicting graphic violence and martyrdom. Following his sentence, authorities are considering his deportation as he does not have legal status in the UK. The case underscores ongoing concerns about the influence of extremist content on social media.