UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Scrutiny Over Return of Egyptian Activist Abd El-Fattah Amid Counterterrorism Probe
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Abd El-Fattah back to Britain on Boxing Day 2025 following his release from prison in Egypt through a presidential pardon granted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Starmer framed Abd El-Fattah's return as a government priority, drawing criticism in the wake of resurfaced social media posts that prompted a counterterrorism investigation.
Counterterrorism police initiated a review of posts dating from 2008 to 2014, now being assessed by the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU). These posts allegedly endorsed violence against U.S. soldiers, Zionists, and police, with one calling for killing more of them and another describing Abd El-Fattah as racist towards white people.
Abd El-Fattah apologized for the posts, attributing them to youthful anger during regional crises and expressing regret that they were not better understood. Despite the apology, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper ordered an urgent review into information failures, noting that neither she nor Starmer had been briefed before Abd El-Fattah’s arrival and expressing regret over the public welcome extended to him.
Critics questioned the handling of the case. Alan Mendoza urged that Abd El-Fattah be stripped of his status and deported, labeling him an enemy of the state. Conservative MP Robert Jenrick dismissed the apology as scripted and fake, calling for Abd El-Fattah’s removal.
Abd El-Fattah spent much of the past 12 years incarcerated and was a prominent figure in Egypt’s protest movement around 2010-2012, which preceded Mohamed Morsi's presidency.
