Lib Dem councillor questions accounts of Hamas terrorist atrocities
A Lib Dem spokesperson confirms a complaint about Birmingham City councillor Ayoub Khan's Tik Tok posts is being investigated.
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
An elected Liberal Democrat councillor has repeatedly questioned evidence of Hamas terrorist atrocities in Israel on 7 October , saying he “has a problem with the credibility” of an account of the massacre carried out at a kibbutz.
Birmingham City councillor Ayoub Khan, who represents Ed Davey’s party in the city’s Aston ward, has posted a series of TikTok videos in which he attempts to provide his own assessment of what took place on 7th October, when 1,400 men, women and children were murdered.
In one video, he stands alongside two other Lib Dem councillors at a pro-Palestine demonstration and says:”We are proud as Liberal Democrats to be on the right side of history.”
In a video posted on 25 October, Khan, a defence criminal barrister who is listed by Birmingham Council as working for the chambers of Ayoub Khan Ltd, says: “There is something called the big lie theory… it was used by the Nazis, and others.”
Outlining how the theory can be used to perpetuate “big lies” around the world, Khan adds: “The reason why I think it’s an interesting read is because when we reflect on the current crisis in the Middle East some evidence that is presented to the world is of concern.”
He continues: “A first responder to the kibbutz area, he gave an account of what he witnessed… a very gruesome account.”
Khan then proceeds to play a clip of an Israeli emergency worker recounting the appalling acts he said had been carried out by terrorists at a kibbutz on 7th October, including the claim that the Hamas attackers ate a meal at a table while the family they had tortured were still around them.
“Clearly what he described is unspeakable, absolute carnage… if true,” Khan adds. “But I have got a problem with the credibility of that eyewitness.
“My problem with his statement is what he said towards the end, which undermines his credibility. If he was ever in a trial and he ever came to give an account he would be undermined within minutes.
“It’s what he says about what the terrorists did, they sat around the dinner table eating while torturing. The difficulty I have with that is, he wasn’t there. And if he wasn’t there, how could he possibly make that assertion? You can’t.”
Khan then asked viewers of his barristerayoubkhan TikTok page, to “look at what Hamas did when they released those two elderly women (hostages)… one who has given an interview who clearly says she was treated well by Hamas”.
This is Birmingham City Liberal Democrat councillor Ayoub Khan speaking in one of numerous Tik Tok videos he has posted airing his views on Israel and Hamas. Full story @JewishNewsUK shortly. pic.twitter.com/kC7rYQTRCQ
— lee harpin (@lmharpin) October 26, 2023
Khan then accused the “leaders of nations, the media” of causing “enormous division across the world” before ending this video by saying;”Free Palestine.”
In an earlier video, posted on October 22nd, Khan said he was “yet to see evidence” that Hamas “militants” had beheaded babies and raped women.
He also cast doubt on the account of Israeli President Isaac Herzog over the chemical weapon plan of the Hamas terrorists. Khan compared this account, and the documents that were said to prove it, with that that claimed Sadam Hussain possessed weapons of mass destruction ahead of the invasion of Iraq.
A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats confirmed: “A complaint has been received about Ayoub Khan’s posts which is currently being investigated under the party’s independent complaints process. The Liberal Democrats utterly condemn the terrible atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel on 7th October.”
Jewish News has contacted Cllr Khan for comment.
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