Manchester man faces prison after admitting terrorism crimes

A teenager who shared extremist Islamic State material faces a jail sentence after admitting a series of terrorism offences.

Wissam Ziad, from Levenshulme, pleaded guilty to six counts of disseminating terrorist publications, during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.

He also admitted encouraging terrorism by publishing a video and supporting extremist militant group Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, also known as Supporters of Jerusalem.

Police went to his home on Central Avenue in June.

Ziad, aged 19 when he was charged by police, is expected to be sentenced by the end of the year.

His parents watched on from the public gallery as he entered his pleas.

Ziad denied offences of supporting or inviting support for Islamic State, also known as Daesh.

Some of the extremist material he admitted sharing included a video depicting Daesh fighters and a Daesh commander making a speech, as well as footage ‘depicting disabled Daesh fighters taking part in combat’.

He also pleaded guilty to posting a link to a book titled ‘this is the promise of Allah’, as well as publications named ‘Dabiq to Rome’, ‘clarifying matters of methodology’ and ‘the din of Islam’.

In total he admitted six counts of disseminating terrorist publications, one count of encouraging terrorism and one of supporting a proscribed organisation, offences under the Terrorism Act.

He pleaded not guilty to support of a proscribed organisation, of inviting support for a proscribed organisation, both referring to Daesh, and one count of disseminating a terrorist publication.

Ziad’s pleas were acceptable ‘in the round’, prosecutor Sean Larkin QC said.

Defending, Joanne Cecil said she was not asking for a pre-sentence report.

Ziad, who is now 20, was remanded in custody.

“You have now pleaded guilty to serious matters,” Judge Patrick Field QC told him.

“I don’t propose to sentence you today, a sentencing hearing will be fixed, I trust before the end of this year.

“Until that time you will be remanded in custody.”

Source: Manchester Evening News