Policewoman previously praised for confronting anti-lockdown protesters is revealed to have history of inflammatory social media posts and was reportedly in contact with suspected Jihadist in Syria

A policewoman who has been praised for confronting lockdown protesters is now alleged to have posted inflammatory social media messages and was reportedly in contact with a suspected Jihadist in Syria.

An urgent investigation has commenced into Ruby Begum, 26, who joined the Metropolitan Police in 2016 and has inspired others as a young officer wearing a hijab on the frontline of police work.

However, she is now alleged to have posted social media messages in 2014 comparing Israel to Nazis, in breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism, and referred to non-Muslims as “kuffars”.

The officer from the Met’s Taskforce, a unit which deals with public order, is alleged to have written on Twitter in January 2015: “It’s alright when Israel does it #HolocaustRemembranceDay,” as well as “Zionists have no hearts! They’ll get what’s coming to them subhanallah [glory be to God]” and “Dirty Zionist. Jahannam [hell] is awaiting.”

In 2014, on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, she allegedly wrote: “Must be stupid if you think I’m gonna do 2mins silence for 9/11.” On the 2019 anniversary, by which time she was working in the Met, she is claimed to have written: “Omg it’s 9/11 today? Jokes, I only noticed.”

Ms Begum has also reportedly written, “Kuffar lips have been all over my mug there is no way I’m using that thing again” and is claimed to have described Pakistanis as “p***s”.

She is further believed to have communicated for many months with a woman thought to have left Europe for the ISIS caliphate in Syria in 2014, and Ms Begum also reportedly disclosed without explanation that her own passport had been confiscated for a month, raising serious questions about the Met’s vetting processes. It is understood that there is no indication that Ms Begum ever tried to join ISIS or travel to Syria herself, and that some of her tweets express disgust at the terrorist group’s activities.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has apparently launched an investigation after The Mail on Sunday drew attention to the case, with Ms Begum placed on “restricted duties”.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police is reported to have said: ‘There is no place within the Met for any racist, homophobic or otherwise hateful attitudes and officers and staff can expect robust action should they be found to hold or express such views. The information provided by The Mail on Sunday regarding a police constable’s social media posts is concerning and is being treated very seriously. Following that assessment, the Met made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct who determined that the matter should be investigated locally. The Directorate of Professional Standards will now conduct a thorough investigation to establish the full circumstances behind the social media posts. The officer has been notified of the investigation and placed on restricted duties.”

Recently, the Metropolitan Police saw one of its own convicted for far-right terrorism.