Abu Wadei shares taxpayer-funded asylum accommodation with three other migrants in Corby, The Times reports, aftger claiming his statements were made under Hamas rule and that he no longer supports them
A Palestinian influencer who was imprisoned for nine months for attempting to enter the UK on a small boat without permission or proper documentation in March of last year and had previously advocated for the killing of Jewish people has been discovered residing in Northamptonshire.
Mosab Abdulkarim Al-Gassas, more commonly known as Abu Wadei, was freed under the Government’s early release programme in June after completing 40% of his term. He was subsequently recalled for violating his licence terms.
Wadee, 34, has been residing in taxpayer-funded asylum housing in Corby alongside three other migrants since his release in December 2025, according to The Times. He is said to be staying in a semi-detached House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Corby with three other migrants.
An HMO is a dwelling let to several individuals from separate households who share amenities such as the bathroom and kitchen.
He triggered a security concern when he uploaded video of himself making a V-for-victory sign while travelling on a packed small boat transporting migrants wearing orange life jackets. The alleged Palestinian gunman grabbed headlines after social media posts surfaced in which he seemed to voice backing for Hamas and demanded the deaths of Jewish people, reports the Express.
He handed over €1,500 (£1,300) to people smugglers for the trip to Britain and was subsequently housed in a Manchester hotel. In 2021, he shared content on Facebook depicting himself hurling pipe bombs and in 2024 he was captured on camera demanding Allah to “punish [Jews] completely”, The Telegraph reports.
Prior to his arrival in Britain, Wadee was allegedly affiliated with the “Tyre Burning Unit” extremist faction.
Lee Barron, the Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, has demanded his swift removal from the country. Mr Barron said he was “appalled” by Wadee’s presence in Corby and pledged to contact the Home Secretary “to seek his immediate deportation.”
Wadee boasts nearly 20,000 followers on TikTok. He told the Northamptonshire Telegraph on Monday that he no longer supports Hamas.
He told the publication: “That was back when I lived in Gaza under Hamas rule. Everyone knows that Hamas is a terrorist organisation that would kill us if we didn’t speak against the Jews while living there.”
He added that he now has Jewish friends and really enjoys living in Corby. The Home Office does not comment on individual cases, but as reported by The Telegraph, a Government spokesman said: “Any foreign national who receives a prison sentence in the UK is referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity and will be barred from ever returning.
“Over 11,000 foreign criminals including murderers and rapists have been returned or deported in the two years since the last election – a 41 per cent increase on the two years prior.”
A representative for the Campaign against Anti-Semitism stated: “What is the point of imprisoning someone for being in the country illegally, and then when he completed his sentence allowing him to roam free? Our laws have become a laughing stock.
“This is all the more significant in a week when the Home Secretary has announced that she will make it easier for Gazans to settle in the UK with no assurances being provided as to whether they may hold anti-Semitic views or have a history of terrorism. Our country desperately needs to get a grip.”