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A woman used social media posts to invite support towards proscribed terrorist organisations, prosecutors have told a court.<\/p>\n
The trial of Natalie Strecker, 50, who has denied two counts of inviting support for Hamas and Hezbollah has started at Jersey’s Royal Court.<\/p>\n
The prosecution said in a series of social media posts from 20 June to 11 October 2024, Mrs Strecker invited support for the groups, which are both banned organisations under Jersey’s Terrorism Law 2002<\/a>.<\/p>\n Crown advocate Luke Sette also used WhatsApp messages and voice notes sent by Mrs Strecker to argue she had invited support for Hamas and Hezbollah. The trial continues.<\/p>\n Mr Sette opened the prosecution’s case by saying the case was not about political issues in Palestine or “silencing those campaigning about what’s been called a genocide in Gaza”.<\/p>\n However, the prosecution went through posts by Mrs Strecker on social media platforms X and TikTok to argue she had invited support for Hamas and Hezbollah.<\/p>\n In one post on X brought up in court, the defendant allegedly said: “As we witness the genocide of Palestinians with no intervention by what appears an inherently racist international community and as Israel has been bombing civilians in Lebanon alongside strikes in Syria, I believe Hezbollah maybe Palestine’s last hope.”<\/p>\n The prosecution showed another video posted on X on 9 October last year in which the court was told Mrs Strecker described Hamas as “the resistance”.<\/p>\n The court also heard in an interview with the police after her arrest, Mrs Strecker was asked if she thought Hamas were a terrorist organisation.<\/p>\n She replied: “I think they have undertaken terrorist acts, but they have legitimate grievances.<\/p>\n “Does that mean I support them? No.”<\/p>\n The prosecution also played WhatsApp messages and voice notes Mrs Strecker had allegedly sent friends.<\/p>\n As one voice note was played in court, Mrs Strecker broke down in tears.<\/p>\n Follow BBC Jersey on <\/em>X<\/a> and <\/em>Facebook<\/em><\/a>. Send your story ideas to <\/em>channel.islands@bbc.co.uk<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nRelated internet links<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n