Two members of the British Army have been discharged after they shared disturbing videos showing acts of violence committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. According to a court transcript from a July 4 hearing at the Bulford Military Court Martial, obtained by the Jerusalem Post, the soldiers were found guilty of violating section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.
Signaller Zakariya Munir, 22, and Signaller Mohammed Salah, 34—both from the 10th Signal Regiment—were sentenced for distributing graphic and violent content. While mitigating factors were considered, the court ultimately concluded that their actions warranted dismissal.
The judge noted that the offenses occurred either on or in the weeks following October 8, 2023. While their online messages on October 7—the day of the Hamas assault—did not raise red flags, the nature of their interactions shifted dramatically the following day.
On October 8, Signaller Munir contacted Signaller Salah and said he had footage from the attack that “they won’t show in the news.”
He then sent a video recorded with a head-mounted camera, showing the faces and bodies of dead soldiers being searched for weapons and their corpses being kicked.
According to the court transcript, Salah forwarded that footage later in the month to others, including fellow military personnel, via WhatsApp.
That same night, Munir messaged Salah again, asking if he wanted to see another clip, which he described as “a bit graphic.” Salah responded, “Yes.”
The second video showed what appeared to be a large number of civilians or unarmed individuals, recently killed, lying in pools of blood.
Sometime later that month, Salah once again forwarded this content to others.
Then, on October 16, Munir sent Salah a third video. This one depicted a group of young men urinating on, stomping on, and kicking the bodies of what appeared to be elderly men whose heads were covered and hands bound. Salah proceeded to share this video as well.
Finally, on October 31, Munir sent Salah another video showing men kneeling in front of armed individuals, who then executed them by shooting them in the back of the head.
The judge described this particular clip as a “deeply shocking video.”
Unlike the previous cases, Salah chose not to circulate this last video. Instead, he reported it.
Reviewing the full sequence of events, the judge emphasized that the videos Munir sent were, in the court’s view, “grossly offensive.”
“They showed offences where people had been killed and their bodies were being violated. It is highly likely that those who were responsible for the killings had committed the offence of murder or related war crimes. The last video sent by Signaller Munir to Signaller Salah, but not forwarded, showed people being murdered and people committing the offence of murder.”
The judge reminded both soldiers that their military oath included a commitment to uphold “the set of values and standards which service personnel adhere to.”
“Although you were private soldiers, there was every opportunity for you to seek advice from your chain of command about what to do with this material once you had received it,” the judge said. “Yet you, Signaller Munir, chose to distribute it further to Signaller Salah, and he distributed it further within the British Army community and outside the Army.”
Drawing a parallel to similar cases of servicemen sharing child abuse content, the judge stated that offenses of this level of severity result in immediate dismissal.
While this particular incident was different, the judge added that it would be “inconceivable to conclude that the distribution of material in this case is not serious enough to warrant dismissal.”
Both soldiers pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The judge noted that had Munir admitted guilt, the outcome might have been different. “If you had pled guilty, Signaller Munir may ‘have a productive military career ahead of you, as suggested by your CO [commanding officer], we have to punish you for what you did.’”
As for Salah, the court acknowledged that the ruling would significantly impact his household. But ultimately, the judge concluded, “the mitigation which your personal circumstances provide, in the absence of any credit for a guilty plea, I am afraid, does not prevent us from dismissing you.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
British Army has been infiltrated by Hamas sympathizers. If they are sent to war in Middle East against Arabs, will they shoot their own officers? Disgusting.
I’m not sure I understand exactly what’s wrong here. Similar clips have been shown, and should be shown, to educate world leaders and the general public just what hamas did to us. So many people literally have no idea why we’re fighting in Gaza – they think it’s entirely unjustified.
That being said, showing the videos can חש ושלום lead to copy-cat attacks. Fine line.
Not mentioned. How were the videos obtained? From whom? Did signaler Salah have personal contact with those who took the videos to begin with? What is that relationship?