British Sikh Activist To Surrender Before Police

LONDON – A British Sikh cofounderof a far-right group that protestsIslamic extremism, who fled from jailahead of a court hearing last week, willreportedly hand himself in to police.The trial of Guramit SinghKalirai, a 31-year-old English DefenceLeague (EDL) activist, was going on atNottingham Crown Court for taking partin an attempted armed robbery but hefled ahead of the court hearing.He was given a jail sentence forsix and a half years in his absence lastweek, the International Business Timesreported.Guramit, along with two accomplices- Andrew Wheelhouse, 31, and DavidMura, 26 – was accused of tying up ashop assistant and threatening to slashhis throat in a failed robbery bid inNottingham.Fugitive Guramit proclaimed hisinnocence in a Facebook post after beingfound guilty of a violent robbery.In his message, the former EDLleader claimed he was stitched up bypolice and said he would turn himself inonly when he has a new lawyer.Guramit is a senior member ofthe EDL and also led its Sikh faction.Members of the group wear T-shirts withthe slogan, “Don’t freak, I’m Sikh”.“The police are playing a very harshgame with me for whatever reason, Idecided to not turn up to the trial knowingthis was not going to be a fair outcome,”Guramit was quoted as posting in theFacebook account.