An Afghan asylum seeker and self-styled TikTok influencer, Fayaz Khan—known to his online followers as "Mada Pasa"—has been found guilty by a UK jury of making a threat to kill Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party. The high-profile case, which played out at Southwark Crown Court in London, has ignited fierce debate about online threats, the responsibilities of social media personalities, and the broader implications of illegal migration into the United Kingdom.
The story begins in late 2024, when Khan, then 26, was living in Stockholm, Sweden. Known for his provocative social media content, Khan documented his journey from Sweden to the UK, including his attempt to cross the English Channel in a small boat. During this journey, he posted a series of TikTok videos, one of which would soon land him at the center of a criminal trial. According to The Times and multiple court reports, Khan's video included hand gestures mimicking guns, head-butting movements toward the camera, and references to Farage, which the politician interpreted as a direct threat to his life.
"Delete the video. This not good my friend. You not know me. I gonna come to England. I gonna pop, pop, pop, murder," Khan said in one of the TikTok clips, as cited by CourtNewsUK and confirmed in court. The video was posted from Dunkirk, France, in October 2024, as Khan waited to cross into the UK. Prosecutor Peter Ratliff described the video as "sinister and menacing," telling jurors it was "not some off-the-cuff comment." Instead, he argued, it was a deliberate and threatening message aimed at a public figure.
Nigel Farage, who testified at the trial, did not mince words when describing his reaction. "The video was pretty chilling," Farage told the court, adding, "Given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried. He says he's coming to England and he's going to shoot me." Farage's concerns were heightened by the fact that Khan's online persona often featured references to firearms, including an AK-47 tattoo on his face, which he frequently pointed to in his videos.
Khan, for his part, declined to give evidence during the trial. However, in a police interview conducted on November 1, 2024, he offered a different perspective. "I didn't know who Nigel Farage was," he told officers, insisting, "I was never going to hurt anyone." He explained that the gun gestures and aggressive posturing were part of his TikTok persona—a character he played for attention and entertainment. "In every video I make those sounds, I say 'pop, pop, pop'," Khan said, maintaining that it was never his intention to cause harm. He also claimed to have been under the influence of cannabis at the time of posting the video, saying he was "high" and not thinking clearly.
Court documents and reporting by GB News revealed additional context. Khan's mobile phone contained a clip from a GB News report about the case, which he had edited to include the phrases "Madapasa battalion v UK" and "I Mean what I say." This, prosecutors argued, showed a pattern of behavior and a willingness to double down on his threats. In a subsequent TikTok post, Khan reinforced his message with the caption "I mean what I say" over an image of the GB News coverage.
The jury, after nearly 12 hours of deliberation, returned a guilty verdict by a majority of 10 to 2. The conviction was handed down on October 10, 2025. Defense lawyer Charles Royle argued that Khan's actions, while undeniably attention-seeking and provocative, were not intended as a genuine threat. "He was remonstrating in his own idiosyncratic, moronic, comedic, eye-catching, attention-seeking way," Royle said, suggesting the videos were more about online notoriety than actual intent to harm.
The case took on further complexity as details of Khan's past emerged. According to The London Times and court records, Khan—who had previously gone by the name Fayaz Hosseini—had a criminal record in Sweden. In February 2019, he threatened a female train conductor and a passenger, drawing his finger across his neck and making verbal threats. He was sentenced to six months in jail in May 2024 after live-streaming himself carrying a large knife in a Swedish shopping center, and had previous convictions for drug offenses and knife possession. Khan fled Sweden while awaiting appeal on the knife charge and entered the UK illegally on October 31, 2024. He pleaded guilty to the immigration offense and now faces up to 12 months in prison for that crime, in addition to his sentencing for the threat against Farage.
Adding to the legal tangle, Khan is also facing a court hearing in Varmland, Sweden, for allegedly filming a naked girl under 18—a charge that further complicates his future in Europe. Deportation to Afghanistan is reportedly not possible, and attempts to return him to Sweden to face other charges have so far been unsuccessful, with a previous extradition request dropped last month.
The case has fueled political debate in the UK, with Farage and his supporters arguing that Khan's story exemplifies the dangers of unchecked migration and the need for stricter border controls. In a video posted after the verdict, Farage said, "How many more of these people are we letting into our country every single day?" He expressed hope that Khan would be deported to Sweden to face further charges, adding, "My big fear was he’d at some point, very soon, be out free on the streets."
At the same time, figures from law enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service underscored the seriousness of threats against public officials. Nicholas Coates, of the CPS, stated, "Khan not only entered the UK illegally – but made sinister threats against a Member of Parliament in plain view of thousands of followers. Elected politicians must be able to carry out their jobs free from the fear of harm or abuse, and we will make sure that those who seek to intimidate them face the full force of the law."
The case also highlights the challenges posed by social media, where provocative content can blur the lines between entertainment and real-world threats. Khan's TikTok account, "madapasa," had amassed hundreds of thousands of views, with videos that often featured bravado, aggression, and references to violence. Prosecutor Peter Ratliff noted, "If you’ve got an AK-47 tattooed on your arm and your face, it’s because you love AK-47s and you want the world to know that." The prosecution painted Khan as a "dangerous man with an interest in firearms," while the defense maintained his persona was more performance than reality.
As Khan awaits sentencing for both the threat and his illegal entry, questions linger about what comes next. Will he be deported to Sweden to face further charges, or will he serve time in the UK before any extradition is considered? And, more broadly, what does this case say about the intersection of migration, social media, and public safety in an era when a single video can spark international headlines?
For now, the verdict stands as a stark reminder of the very real consequences that can flow from online threats, especially when they cross borders and target public figures. The case of Fayaz Khan—Mada Pasa to his followers—will no doubt continue to reverberate in the debates over migration, security, and the power of social media.
