Ex-boxing champion Anthony Small 'called for attacks'

Anthony Small (left) was a British and Commonwealth light-middleweight champion in 2009

Former boxing champion Anthony Small spoke out against Coca-Cola and McDonald's as he called for attacks on the West on YouTube, a court has heard.

Mr Small, 36, who converted to Islam in 2007, is accused of encouraging acts of terrorism in the Eid message he posted on his account on 12 September 2016.

He "implored Muslims to take violent action against the West", prosecutor Karen Robinson told the Old Bailey.

Mr Small denies the charges.

On his YouTube channel, Mr Small described himself as "a former professional champion boxer who now works to take mankind out of the oppression of democracy and liberating themselves with Islam/Sharia".

In the video he spoke of military and commercial influence through "McDonald's and Cola Cola signs" and former aerospace manufacturer McDonnell Douglas, the court heard.

He said the choice was to "either accept the flame-grilled burger or we are going to flame grill you from the sky", jurors were told.

'Light-hearted poetry'

Mr Small, of south-east London, concluded: "I am not calling for you to boycott Starbucks or McDonald's, instead buy Israeli-made Desert Eagles [a type of gun], cock them back and let them go in the sons of monkeys' peoples.

"In matter of fact, hijack an American-made Humvee and stick a black flag over the USA eagle."

Mr Small ended with a disclaimer saying he was "in no way, shape or form" calling for violence or terrorism in what he described as a "little light-hearted poetry".

But Ms Robinson told the court he knew the meaning of his carefully chosen words.

Mr Small is a former British and Commonwealth champion, and also appeared in the 2016 BBC Two programme Muslims Like Us.

The trial continues.