UK florist shocked at being pictured in ISIS magazine

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Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Sep 07 2016 | 8:07 PM IST
A florist from a small town in northwest England today expressed his shock at being pictured in an ISIS propaganda magazine.
Stephen Leyland, who runs a Flower Stall in Cheshire, appeared in the dreaded terrorist group's new 'Rumiyah' magazine, that called for more lone-wolf attacks in the West targetting people like him.
The 64-year-old was unaware of unwittingly being on ISIS hit-list by his image being used from his website stevetheflowerman.Co.Uk, until he was contacted by counter-terror officers yesterday.
"It has come as a bit of a shock. When I was first contacted I thought it was a wind-up. I really don't know what to do. I'm not scared but I am concerned that the photo is in this magazine.
"I don't know any jihadis," Leyland told 'The Times'.
"They (counter-terrorism officers) said that the foreign secretary (Boris Johnson) had asked about it," he added.
Leyland describes himself as "The Flower Man" and an "old fashioned market trader" on his website.
The 38-page magazine is among a number of ISIS publications aimed at inciting extreme violence in the West.

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First Published: Sep 07 2016 | 8:07 PM IST

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