SNP suspends Kalashnikov councillor (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

SNP suspends Kalashnikov councillor

10:27am Sunday 31st August 2008 in

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An Scottish Nationalist Party councillor caught on video firing a Kalashnikov assault rifle in Pakistan has escaped expulsion from his party.

The SNP's disciplinary committee decided not to throw out Jahangir Hanif and instead suspended him for two months.

The investigation into the 46-year-old Glasgow businessman's conduct was launched earlier this month after still images from the video published in a newspaper showed him brandishing the weapon.

It was taken during a trip to Pakistan in 2005 with five of his children.

He also showed his children how to use the gun during the trip into the mountains near the Kashmir border, according to his daughter Noor who was there.

The councillor was immediately suspended after the footage emerged and his party branded his actions "foolish and inappropriate".

Mr Hanif apologised for the incident, pointing out it happened long before he became a councillor.

A hearing of the SNP disciplinary committee in Edinburgh found he had breached party discipline and rules but stopped short of expelling him.

An SNP spokeswoman said: "Suspension from membership of the party is a serious matter, which will stand on Councillor Hanif's record in relation to all future activity.

"It reflects that the committee found him to be guilty of a breach of party discipline and rules. It is of course subject to appeal."