Bungling Trio Jailed After Anti-Semitic Kidnap Plot
Bungling Trio Jailed After Anti-Semitic Kidnap Plot
Kidnappers Jailed After Bungled, Ideologically-Driven Plot to Abduct Israeli MusicianKidnappers Jailed After Bungled, Ideologically-Driven Plot to Abduct Israeli Musician
By Jason KingBy Jason King
Three men who meticulously plotted thekidnapping of an Israeli DJkidnapping of an Israeli DJ—arming themselves withhandcuffs, zip ties, and the sedative ketaminehandcuffs, zip ties, and the sedative ketamine—have been jailed after their plan fell apart in what the judge described as an act of“staggering incompetence.”“staggering incompetence.”
Faiz Shah, 23, Mohammad Comrie, 23, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20,Faiz Shah, 23, Mohammad Comrie, 23, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20,spent weeks discussing their scheme online, detailing how they wouldlure composer Itay Kashtilure composer Itay Kashtito a remote cottage in Wales under the guise of amusic industry event.music industry event.They created a fake identity—“Lucas Winslow,” an A&R executive from Polydor Records“Lucas Winslow,” an A&R executive from Polydor Records—sent professional-sounding invitations, and promised alucrative opportunity.lucrative opportunity.Kashti, believing he was attending alegitimate songwriting retreatlegitimate songwriting retreat, accepted.
The trio booked anAirbnb near LlanybydderAirbnb near Llanybydderfor a week andstocked it with supplies for a prolonged captivity.stocked it with supplies for a prolonged captivity.They had a clear objective:extract a ransom from Kashtiextract a ransom from Kashti, whom they assumed to be wealthy, while alsotargeting him for his Jewish heritage and presumed political affiliations.targeting him for his Jewish heritage and presumed political affiliations.
Reality Collides with FantasyReality Collides with Fantasy
Their planfell apart the moment it collided with reality.fell apart the moment it collided with reality.The taxi driver who dropped Kashti at the cottagehelped him carry his equipment insidehelped him carry his equipment inside—walking straight into the ambush. The attackers,masked and gloved, turned on him.masked and gloved, turned on him.He managed to escape and raise the alarm.
Kashti was not so lucky. He washandcuffed to a radiator, kicked, punched, and threatened with deathhandcuffed to a radiator, kicked, punched, and threatened with deathif he tried to escape. Yet even here, theirgrasp of real-world practicalities falteredgrasp of real-world practicalities faltered: the kidnappersfailed to notice that Kashti could slide along the pipe.failed to notice that Kashti could slide along the pipe.He freed himself, grabbed his phone, andfled into the bushesfled into the bushes, where he called his wife.
By the time police arrived, the gang hadscattered across nearby fieldsscattered across nearby fields, abandoning thesupplies and fraudulent documentssupplies and fraudulent documentsthey had left inside the cottage. They werequickly rounded up.quickly rounded up.
Online Planning, Real-World IneptitudeOnline Planning, Real-World Ineptitude
The men had spenthours in encrypted Telegram chatshours in encrypted Telegram chatsrefining their plan, which theycodenamed “The Lick.”codenamed “The Lick.”They had discussed how tomake their scam appear professionalmake their scam appear professional, createdfalse identitiesfalse identities, and planned tolaunder the ransom money into cryptocurrency.launder the ransom money into cryptocurrency.One message read:
But theyhad failed—on every level.had failed—on every level.AtSwansea Crown CourtSwansea Crown Court, JudgeCatherine RichardsCatherine Richardsnoted the contrast between theirextensive online planningextensive online planningand theircomplete ineptitude when faced with the practicalities of crime.complete ineptitude when faced with the practicalities of crime.She said their plot was“highly sophisticated in its planning, but highly amateurish in its execution.”“highly sophisticated in its planning, but highly amateurish in its execution.”
All three admittedkidnappingkidnapping.Comrie, from Leeds, Shah, from Bradford, and Ogunnubi-Sime, from LondonComrie, from Leeds, Shah, from Bradford, and Ogunnubi-Sime, from London, were each sentenced toeight years and one montheight years and one month, with Ogunnubi-Sime serving his time in ayoung offenders’ institution.young offenders’ institution.
Victim’s Ordeal and Trauma
ForKashti, the trauma was profound.Kashti, the trauma was profound.
“As an Israeli, this was my own personal October 7,”“As an Israeli, this was my own personal October 7,”he said in a statement via theCommunity Security Trust (CST).Community Security Trust (CST).He described how, as he lay restrained,thoughts of the Holocaust and the six million Jewish lives lost flashed through his mind.thoughts of the Holocaust and the six million Jewish lives lost flashed through his mind.He has been left withlasting anxietylasting anxietyand questioned whether he cancontinue his career in the music industry.continue his career in the music industry.
Mark Gardner, chief executive of the CST,Mark Gardner, chief executive of the CST,said:
Police: “An Extraordinary Crime”Police: “An Extraordinary Crime”
Dyfed Powys PoliceDyfed Powys Policecalled it an“extraordinary crime.”“extraordinary crime.”
InspectorGareth JonesGareth Jonessaid:
“This sentence today reflects the severity of this offence and the ordeal the victim suffered – and we hope it gives the victim a sense of justice.”“This sentence today reflects the severity of this offence and the ordeal the victim suffered – and we hope it gives the victim a sense of justice.”
A Dangerous DelusionA Dangerous Delusion
The case exposed achilling realitychilling reality: three young men, immersing themselves in anonline worldonline worldwherekidnapping and extortionkidnapping and extortionwere treated as if they werea daring missiona daring missionrather than ahigh-stakes crime with tragic consequences.high-stakes crime with tragic consequences.
Their sentences reflect thereality they failed to graspreality they failed to grasp: their victim wasnot a symbol, but a mannot a symbol, but a man—and their act wasnot a radical protest, but a poorly executed and severely criminal act.not a radical protest, but a poorly executed and severely criminal act.
Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.
Jason KingJason King
Birmingham City-DeskBirmingham City-Desk
Twitter (X) @JasonKingNewsTwitter (X) @JasonKingNews
Jasonkingnews@gmail.comJasonkingnews@gmail.comJasonkingnews@gmail.com
