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  • 17/03/2025
Transcript
00:00We are under arrest on suspicion of GBH, of kidnap and unlawful imprisonment.
00:06This is the moment the police found the men that tried to kidnap an innocent man, hiding
00:11in the Ceredigion countryside.
00:14Their target, an Israeli record producer from London.
00:17They tricked him into visiting this holiday cottage in the quiet hamlet of Bryn Tegh near
00:22Llanabar.
00:24Faiz Shah, who is 23 and from Bradford, Mohammed Komri, who is 23 and from Leeds and Elijah
00:30Ogunobi Simi, 20 and from Wallington, rented this gatehouse in Bryn Tegh online using a
00:36false identity and stolen bank details.
00:39They tricked Itay Kashti into believing they were from a record label and made arrangements
00:44for him to travel from London in a taxi.
00:47The three men planned the kidnap using the Telegram app.
00:51They wanted money from Kashti, but he was also targeted for political and religious
00:56reasons.
00:57In one message shared by the three prior to the kidnap, it was said the three had complete
01:02100% faith in Allah so we can't fail.
01:06Another screenshot shared by Shah said, recite or listen every day while keeping in mind
01:11your intention of jihad.
01:13Itay Kashti, an Israeli music producer living in London, was lured to this cottage by the
01:20three men last August.
01:22He thought he was attending a legitimate music recording, but he was in fact walking into
01:28a trap that had been carefully and elaborately planned.
01:33Mr Kashti and his taxi driver were attacked when they entered the property by the three
01:37men wearing face masks.
01:39The taxi driver escaped, but Itay Kashti was beaten and handcuffed to a radiator pipe in
01:45the cottage.
01:46Mr Kashti managed to escape when the three left the room and he freed himself from the
01:50pipe.
01:52He hid in nearby bushes, still in handcuffs, and phoned his wife who raised the alarm.
01:57A huge search was launched by David Poe's police, which involved a helicopter.
02:01The three men were eventually found hiding in a field and pleaded guilty last month to
02:06charges of kidnap.
02:08It is clear that this offence has had a profound, harrowing and lasting impact on the victim
02:13and his family.
02:14This crime was thoroughly planned and was sophisticated in elements, including the use
02:19of false identities.
02:20The motivation appears twofold.
02:22Firstly, they clearly intended to extort money from the victim, and additionally, there may
02:27have been political motivation and religious motivation also.
02:31The local councillor for the area told me the events of last August had shaken this
02:36quiet community.
02:37The roads were closed by the police for a lot of investigations.
02:41The helicopter was out the night before looking for these people, and everybody's in a shock,
02:47didn't know what was happening.
02:49Judge Catherine Richards told the court that the victim, Itai Kashti, had clearly been
02:53targeted because of his Jewish heritage, and that was utterly abhorrent.
02:59She sentenced all three men to eight years and one month in custody.
03:04A restraining order was also granted by the judge, preventing any contact with the victim
03:09for a minimum of 15 years.

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