A former imam from a mosque in Copenhagen is facing a possible prison sentence due to his statements in a podcast aired on Radio 24Syv following the attack on Israel on October 7. In the Copenhagen City Court on Wednesday, 33-year-old Mohamad Khani pleaded not guilty to the charge of endorsing a specific terrorist attack, which constitutes a violation of the Danish penal code.

Khani emphasized that his remarks were aimed at the general right of Palestinians to resist occupation, rather than specifically supporting Hamas. “When I talk about the right to resist, I am referring to the Palestinians, not to Hamas,” he stated during the court proceedings.

The charges stem from specific comments made in an episode of the podcast “What Muslims Talk About,” titled “Has the World Forgotten Palestine?” The Copenhagen Police argue that Khani’s statements were a direct reference to Hamas’s attacks. Among other things, he remarked in the podcast that “it is certainly unfortunate that there are civilians who lose their lives,” adding that “if anyone is to be blamed, it is 100 percent on the occupiers’ account.”

The events of October 7 resulted in numerous fatalities, including among attendees at a music festival, following a large-scale attack launched by Hamas and other organizations. In court, Khani explained that the risks associated with being near the Gaza border are naturally high, and he highlighted that his comments were more general in nature and did not constitute support for terrorism.

Previously, Khani served as an imam at Imam Ali Mosque located on Vibevej in Copenhagen.