London, Jan 12 (ANI): Five Muslim fanatics, who called British troops rapists and baby killers during their homecoming ceremony, were let off with light punishment.

Angry scenes erupted as the group brandished placards reading: “Islam will dominate the world, freedom can go to hell.”

The five, all from Luton, were convicted of the public order offence of using threatening, abusive or insulting words.

But they were spared time behind bars and instead received a two-year conditional discharge and were ordered to pay 500 pounds legal costs each, The Sun reports.

Shajjadar Choudhury, 31, yelled: “Embrace yourself for the coming of Islam. The UK will become Islam. We are undeterred.”

Choudhury, Munim Abdul, 28, Jalal Ahmed, 21, Yousaf Bashir, 29, and Ziaur Rahman, 32, provoked fury last March when they protested at a homecoming ceremony meant for British troops.

As the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Anglian Regiment marched through Luton, Beds, after serving on the frontline in Iraq and Afghanistan, they waved placards reading “Butchers of Basra” and “Baby killers”.

During their six-day trial the defendants refused to stand up when the judge entered or left the courtroom, as is expected as a remark of respect to the court, the paper said.

Businessman Harold Simkin, who was caught in the middle of last year’s vile demonstration, said: “This sentence is an insult. These five men turned up to cause trouble.

“They knew local people would react to their sick chants and they did. There was fighting and police had to separate people. Things could have turned out a lot worse, people could have been hurt.” (ANI)