A notorious Muslim fanatic has been accused of fiddling the benefits system by working while claiming jobseekers’ allowance.
Abdul Rehman Saleem, known as Abu Yahya, is working on a market stall at the same time as collecting the £60 a week benefit, a friend of his estranged wife claimed.
The 35-year-old was freed from prison last year after being convicted of inciting racial hatred during protests in London against cartoon depictions of the prophet Mohammed.
Yahya is thought to have been claiming benefits while working on clothing stalls in both Stratford, East London, and another outlet at London’s New Covent Garden Market in Vauxhall.
At the same he time, he has failed to provide any maintenance for his five children with his former wife.
When approached by a daily newspaper, she refused to discuss her ex-husband or the provision he makes for their children.
But a family friend said: ‘He works illegally, claims benefits and sees virtually nothing of his children.
‘He likes to say “Allah provides” – but in reality it is the British State and it's hard working Taxpayers, he seems to despise so much that makes the provisions for him! The Child Support Agency claim there is nothing they can do to make him pay for his children because he is in receipt of jobseekers’ allowance.’
Yahya first came to public prominence in February 2006 when he and other Islamists took over afternoon prayers at the Regent’s Park Mosque in north London.
They chanted ‘UK you will pay – Bin Laden is on his way’ and ‘UK, USA, 7/7 on its way’.
After burning the British Flag, a group of 300 protesters then joined a march on the Danish Embassy in London to campaign against cartoons which had satirised Mohammed.
Yahya was one of four men who appeared in court a year later and was convicted of inciting racial hatred.
He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, but served little more than two years and was released in August 2009.
He also made headlines earlier this year when he carried out a poisonous rant both inside and outside the Old Bailey. Joined by Mohammed Shamsuddin, he protested at the court as 21-year-old radicalised King’s College London student Roshonara Choudhry was sentenced to life for trying to kill MP Stephen Timms in a knife attack.
Wearing Islamic dress, with faces twisted in hate, they hurled abuse at a terrified female juror in the case who was wearing a Muslim headscarf as they shouted: ‘Shame on you, sister’.
Outside the court the pair waved banners, saying: ‘Islam will dominate the world’ and ‘British soldiers must die!’
Yahya, who is still intent on Muslims fighting a holy war, splits his time between a flat in Bow the rent paid for by the taxpayer and his mother’s home in Ilford, both in the East End of London.
Asked last night what benefits he currently receives, Yahya would only say: ‘My circumstances have recently changed and I now do not currently receive full jobseekers’ allowance at the moment. But I am not prepared to tell you what assistance I receive from the state in regards of my housing or living costs.
Abdul Rehman Saleem, known as Abu Yahya, is working on a market stall at the same time as collecting the £60 a week benefit, a friend of his estranged wife claimed.
The 35-year-old was freed from prison last year after being convicted of inciting racial hatred during protests in London against cartoon depictions of the prophet Mohammed.
Abu Yahya selling clothes at the New Covent Garden Market in Vauxhall earlier this month
At the same he time, he has failed to provide any maintenance for his five children with his former wife.
When approached by a daily newspaper, she refused to discuss her ex-husband or the provision he makes for their children.
But a family friend said: ‘He works illegally, claims benefits and sees virtually nothing of his children.
Abu Yahya aka Abdul Rahman Saleem, spokesperson for the Al Muhajiroun group, holds a flyer for the' Magnificent 19' conference that is being held on Sept 11
Yahya first came to public prominence in February 2006 when he and other Islamists took over afternoon prayers at the Regent’s Park Mosque in north London.
They chanted ‘UK you will pay – Bin Laden is on his way’ and ‘UK, USA, 7/7 on its way’.
After burning the British Flag, a group of 300 protesters then joined a march on the Danish Embassy in London to campaign against cartoons which had satirised Mohammed.
Yahya was one of four men who appeared in court a year later and was convicted of inciting racial hatred.
He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, but served little more than two years and was released in August 2009.
He also made headlines earlier this year when he carried out a poisonous rant both inside and outside the Old Bailey. Joined by Mohammed Shamsuddin, he protested at the court as 21-year-old radicalised King’s College London student Roshonara Choudhry was sentenced to life for trying to kill MP Stephen Timms in a knife attack.
Wearing Islamic dress, with faces twisted in hate, they hurled abuse at a terrified female juror in the case who was wearing a Muslim headscarf as they shouted: ‘Shame on you, sister’.
Outside the court the pair waved banners, saying: ‘Islam will dominate the world’ and ‘British soldiers must die!’
Yahya, who is still intent on Muslims fighting a holy war, splits his time between a flat in Bow the rent paid for by the taxpayer and his mother’s home in Ilford, both in the East End of London.
Asked last night what benefits he currently receives, Yahya would only say: ‘My circumstances have recently changed and I now do not currently receive full jobseekers’ allowance at the moment. But I am not prepared to tell you what assistance I receive from the state in regards of my housing or living costs.
