A woman used social media posts to invite support towards proscribed terrorist organisations, prosecutors have told a court.
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.
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.
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.
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".
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.
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."
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".
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.
She replied: "I think they have undertaken terrorist acts, but they have legitimate grievances.
"Does that mean I support them? No."
The prosecution also played WhatsApp messages and voice notes Mrs Strecker had allegedly sent friends.
As one voice note was played in court, Mrs Strecker broke down in tears.
Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [email protected].
Related internet links
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Mount Everest Climbers 'Poisoned' by Guides Prompting Mass Helicopter Rescues in $20 Million Insurance Fraud Scheme, Police Say - 2Russian strikes on Ukraine kill 5 people and wound 30 more
- 3Red Sea arena: Yemen’s Houthis open fourth front in Iran war, with global implications
- 4Self-sacrificing ants highlight the unity of their colony, say researchers
- 5Why ordering takeout or calling the dog walker might lead to a happier relationship
- The Strait of Hormuz Isn’t Just an Oil Problem, It’s Now a Food Problem
- One ant for $220: the new frontier of wildlife trafficking
- A Manual for Well known Western television Series
- Newly discovered link between traumatic brain injury in children and epigenetic changes could help personalize treatment for recovering kids
- I'm 18 and founded an AI startup. I have to wake up at 3 a.m. to work on it before school, but it's worth every sleepless night.
- Invigorating Spots To Go Kayaking All over The Planet
- Vote in favor of your Favored Travel Movement
- Abbott issues US device correction for some glucose monitors over faulty readings risk
- When fake data is a good thing – how synthetic data trains AI to solve real problems
