It’s a story that feels like something out of a political thriller, but it’s playing out right in the heart of London.
At one of the city’s most iconic hospitals—just a stone’s throw from Parliament—a man accused of issuing extremist threats has been working quietly behind the scenes.
Imam Working Inside St Thomas’ Hospital Sparks Major Security Concerns
Omar Abdallah Mansuur, 39, an NHS employee at St Thomas’ Hospital, has now been suspended after serious accusations surfaced.
The Mail on Sunday uncovered that Mansuur, who also holds influence as an imam, allegedly issued a fatwa-style death threat against another Muslim man.
The reason? He claims the man insulted the Prophet Mohammed.
This wasn’t a private remark. The chilling statement was broadcast to tens of thousands of people online—and experts believe it may be the first time a British cleric has issued such a threat on social media.
Victim in Hiding After Chilling Warning
The man targeted by Mansuur’s threats is now in hiding somewhere in Europe.
Police have reportedly told him that returning to the UK would be far too dangerous.
He described his situation as “a living nightmare,” saying he constantly fears for his life.
Though Mansuur denies ever issuing a direct death threat, he admits to stating what he claims is the Islamic punishment for blasphemy.
He insists his words have been misinterpreted and twisted.
From Hospital Hallways to Social Media Rants
Shockingly, some of Mansuur’s videos appear to be filmed inside St Thomas’ Hospital, where he worked in procurement.
One video even shows him entering through an underground entrance before sitting at a desk in what seems to be an office.
Colleagues reportedly saw him as mild-mannered and polite, but online he paints a drastically different picture.
On platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), Mansuur has built a massive audience.
His videos—delivered in Somali—are often aggressive, inflammatory, and spread widely among his followers.
NHS and Police Respond as Public Outrage Grows
After the Mail on Sunday shared its findings, St Thomas’ Hospital confirmed that Mansuur had been suspended while an investigation takes place.
The move comes amid mounting calls for decisive action.
Yair Cohen, a lawyer representing the targeted victim, emphasized the seriousness of the situation.
“Police have been quick to arrest others for far less on social media,” he said.
The National Secular Society also weighed in, expressing outrage that religious extremists in Britain are openly calling for death over blasphemy.
“These threats must be taken seriously,” they warned.
The Video That Sparked Alarm
In one particularly disturbing broadcast, Mansuur accused a 32-year-old moderate imam of insulting the Prophet.
He then claimed that, even if the man repents, he should still be executed.
His words: “He will be caught, killed, then thrown in a hole like a dog.”
The targeted imam, who adamantly denies making any offensive remarks, says his original comments were manipulated and misrepresented online.
He’s been forced to avoid mosques and gatherings for his own safety.
He told authorities that he fears meeting the same fate as Samuel Paty, the French teacher murdered in 2020 after being accused of blasphemy.
“I am always looking over my shoulder,” he said.
Advocating Child Marriage and More Extremism Online
The investigation also revealed other disturbing comments made by Mansuur.
In some of his videos, he defends child marriages, suggesting girls as young as 11 can be married off by their parents as long as they’re virgins and give no consent.
In another video from 2022, Mansuur targets a Somali woman for allegedly insulting the Prophet.
He argues that, under sharia law, she deserves to be put to death.
Even though other preachers urged caution, he held firm on his stance.
Mansuur’s Defense: “I Was Just Quoting Islamic Law”
When approached by the Mail on Sunday, Mansuur doubled down on his defense.
He claimed his speeches were “taken out of context” and that he never called for violence.
Regarding the moderate imam, he said: “I was talking about someone who insults the Prophet.
I was giving the opinion of scholars. I didn’t tell people to go do anything. That’s nonsense.”
Pressed on why he repeatedly mentioned the death penalty for blasphemy, Mansuur insisted he was only repeating Islamic teachings—not calling for murder.
Critics Slam Authorities for Not Acting Sooner
There’s growing frustration from activists and free speech advocates over what they see as a lack of urgency.
The National Secular Society said it was “extremely concerned” by the slow response from police and counter-extremism teams.
Experts say there’s a rising trend of radicalized individuals in Britain using online platforms to push extremist ideologies, often in native languages like Somali to avoid scrutiny.
Looking Back: A History of Fatwa Threats in the UK
This isn’t the first time Britain has had to reckon with the threat of religiously inspired violence.
In 1989, Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against British author Salman Rushdie over his book The Satanic Verses.
Rushdie spent nearly a decade in hiding, and in 2022, he was brutally attacked in New York.
His assailant was just recently sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The UK Government has acknowledged a rise in anti-blasphemy incidents and noted the impact of jihadist propaganda spreading online.
A recent report, commissioned after the Batley cartoon controversy, pointed to how easily people are being radicalized through apps and social media.
What Happens Next?
For now, Omar Mansuur has been suspended from his NHS role as investigations continue.
But many are left asking: How did someone with such extreme views gain access to one of the UK’s most prominent hospitals?
With a frightened victim in hiding and a growing chorus of voices demanding accountability, the pressure is now on law enforcement, the NHS, and the government to act—and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.