Man who burned Koran and shouted 'f*** Islam' faces imminent terrorist plot to murder him, police warn
An asylum seeker who set fire to the Koran while shouting anti-Islamic slurs has been warned by police that he is the target of an 'imminent' terror plot to murder him, it emerged today.
Hamit Coskun, 50, was woken by officers at 2am on Saturday and told his life was in danger, according to his lawyers.
The officers, acting on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, are understood to have issued what is known as an Osman warning – a formal alert given when there is intelligence of a real threat to life but not enough evidence to make an arrest.
Coskun, who is originally from Turkey and is now in hiding in the UK, was convicted last week for a racially aggravated public order offence after he burned a copy of the Islamic holy book during a protest in Knightsbridge on February 13.
During the incident – which was filmed and went viral online – he shouted: 'F*** Islam' and 'Islam is religion of terrorism' as he held the Koran above his head and set it alight.
The shocking act has sparked furious debate over freedom of speech, religious tolerance – and whether Britain is bringing back blasphemy laws through the back door.
Coskun's supporters say the decision to prosecute him has now made him a target, and accuse the authorities of putting his life at risk.
Speaking to the Mail this week Mr Coskun said: 'My social media accounts and phonebook are full of death threats from [people based in] cities like London and Birmingham.
'Like everyone else, I am afraid of being killed [and] I am very worried because I know that I may face security risks. This is the reality of the 'religion' we call Islam.
'It does not respect different beliefs and cultures, it does not recognize the right to life. But I am not a coward. I am ready to pay the price.'
Social media posts sent to Mr Coskun and seen by the Mail include one that states: 'You should sacrifice yourself to Koran. You will die'.
Another says: 'Hail to the courageous man who will make your corpse lie down on the ground.'
In a blistering letter to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, Lord Young of Norwood Green, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: 'We consider that the risk to Mr Coskun's life was caused, in part, by the actions of your officers and the CPS.
'Your force had repeatedly suggested publicly that Mr Coskun had offended the 'religious institution of Islam'. Doing so has increased the risk to Mr Coskun from Islamic extremists.'
Coskun, an atheist, says he fled Turkey two and a half years ago to escape persecution. He was living in Derby before going into hiding.
After the conviction, Coskun issued a defiant statement, branding the decision an 'assault on free speech'.
He said: 'As an activist, I will continue to campaign against the threat of Islam.
'Christian blasphemy laws were repealed in this country more than 15 years ago, and it cannot be right to prosecute someone for blaspheming against Islam.
'Would I have been prosecuted if I'd set fire to a copy of the Bible outside Westminster Abbey? I doubt it.'
He also pledged to continue burning Korans and is planning a controversial UK tour, with stops in Birmingham, Liverpool, and Glasgow, where he intends to repeat the act. It is not clear whether this will go ahead before any potential appeal.
A Met Police spokesperson confirmed: 'There remains an ongoing police investigation in relation to allegations of threats to kill against a 50-year-old male. Given the investigation is ongoing, we won't be able to comment further at this stage.'
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, wrote on social media: 'De facto blasphemy laws will set this country on the road to ruin. This case should go to appeal.
'Freedom of belief and freedom not to believe are inalienable rights in Britain. I'll defend those rights to my dying day.'
Blasphemy laws were officially abolished in the UK in 2008.
Coskun was prosecuted under the Public Order Act. Originally, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charged him with harassing the 'religious institution of Islam' – wording that sparked outrage and was later revised.
The CPS insists Coskun was not prosecuted for burning the Koran itself, but rather for the combination of burning it, making inflammatory remarks, and doing so publicly.
Katy Thorne KC, representing Coskun, argued that his protest was not motivated by hatred of followers of Islam, but criticism of the religion itself.
However, District Judge John McGarva rejected that argument, telling the court: 'Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion.'
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