A Manchester café owner has alleged that officers attempted to recruit him as an informant to gather information on individuals involved in pro-Palestine activism, including members of Palestine Action, offering financial incentives and suggesting potential leniency over minor matters.

Shams Sadiq says the approach took place at Ashton-under-Lyne police station while he was collecting electronic devices previously seized in the course of an investigation. He claims he was told no charges would be brought against him, before officers raised the possibility of him providing information on activists linked to Palestine solidarity networks.

According to Sadiq, officers indicated that cooperation could be rewarded financially and implied that certain minor offences might be overlooked. He described the encounter as an effort to draw him into acting as a source of information within activist circles.

The allegation comes after Sadiq was detained and questioned for several hours at Manchester Airport under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. He says officers questioned him about his political activity, associations with Palestine Action, and broader engagement in campaigning related to Palestine, while his electronic devices were confiscated and later returned.

Sadiq rejected the approach and has since spoken publicly, arguing that individuals involved in pro-Palestine activism are facing increasing scrutiny under counter-terrorism legislation. His claims have added to ongoing debate in the UK over the use of such powers in relation to political activism. Police have not commented on the allegations.