By
Dana Gloger
A man who sent a letter containing white powder to the JC’s offices escaped jail last week.
Ashraf Ali, 31, pleaded guilty last month to seven offences, five of them religiously aggravated.
Ali was given a nine-month sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court last Friday, but this was suspended for two years. He was also given a two-year supervision order.
The charges related to two offences of blackmail, four counts of racial or religiously aggravated harassment and one count of religiously aggravated intentional harassment.
In October 2001, the JC received an envelope sent by Ali containing white powder and a piece of paper with “All Jews Die”, “World Trade Centre” and “Pentagon” written on it. Police later confirmed the powder was not anthrax or any other dangerous substance.
He also targeted Portsmouth and Southsea Hebrew Congregation and Southampton Synagogue.
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