A convicted terrorist is set to launch legal action against two more pubs – called ‘Saracens Head’ – over their name.
Khalid Baqa, who was jailed for four years in 2018 for preparing terrorist propaganda, is set to launch the action against the pub in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire and another on the banks of the River Wye in Hereford.
Khalid Baqa is suing yet another two pubs
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Simon Belsey, 49, who runs the 300-year-old Hereford pub has received two letters from Baqa, 60, threatening legal action.
He told The Sun: “I don’t have the money to challenge this. It could close us down. This man has chosen to live in the UK and is trying to change our history. The pub’s name goes back to 1705.”
Peter Dillingham, 59, who owns the Kings Langley pub, also received Baqa’s emails giving him two weeks to remove signs before he “escalates matters.”
He said: “He said he had seen our sign and was deeply offended as it showed a man with a tanned complexion in a turban. You only need to take one look to see that’s not the case.”
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The Kings Langley pub in Hertfordshire
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He continued: “It’s obvious he’s never stepped foot outside the pub. It’s frankly ridiculous — a convicted terrorist scared of a pub sign.”
Baqa has previously claimed the “depiction of a bearded Arab/Turk incites violence” and is demanding £1,850 from the landlord of the inn at Amersham. Publican Robbie Hayes, 52, said: “It’s a complete joke. This pub has been called The Saracen’s Head for 500 years.
“He’s just chancing his hand. Of course it worries me — you never know with people like this. No one at this pub is racist, we don’t believe the sign is racist and the name is simply historic.
“We won’t be pushed around and change hundreds of years of history just because some loudmouth wants to cause trouble.”
Baqa’s submission to the County Court says: “While walking through the area I was shocked and deeply offended by what I saw.
“I saw pub signage depicting a brown-skinned bearded Arab/Turk male with a turban and captioned ‘The Saracen’s Head’ This instilled worry and fear in me since it was clearly xenophobic, racist and inciting violence to certain people.
“I immediately complained to the pub and requested the signage be removed.”
