Terrorist who used student loan to join the Islamic State jailed again

A convicted terrorist who used his student loan in a bid to join Islamic State has been sent back to jail after breaching notification conditions.

Yahya Rashid, 23, was sentenced to five years’ detention in November 2015 after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

He was found guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation for committing an act of terrorism, and engaging in conduct with the intention of assisting others to commit acts of terrorism between November 2014 and March 2015.

The court heard that Rashid, of Willesden in north-west London, conned his way into Middlesex University using a forged BTec certificate, despite having an IQ of between 65 and 70.

He used cash he was entitled to claim to take four friends from his mosque to the Turkey/Syria border via Morocco.

The group was stopped and questioned by police at Gatwick Airport but allowed to board a flight to Casablanca, from where they made their way to the Turkish border town of Gaziantep.

Although his friends crossed into Syria – where they are believed to remain – the then 18-year-old had a change of heart and returned to Istanbul and then the UK after pleas from his family.

Rashid was arrested on Sunday after failing to give the police his current phone number and email address, as required under the Counter Terrorism Act.

He pleaded guilty to two charges under sections 48 and 54 of the legislation at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Scotland Yard said.

Rashid, who had been released on licence, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and recalled to prison to serve the rest of his five-year sentence.

He will begin the new jail term when the original sentence is served.

The Metropolitan Police said the arrest “is not linked in any way to the London Bridge terror attack” and that the inquiry was under way before Friday’s atrocity.

Under the Counter Terrorism Act, those convicted of certain offences must agree to notify the police of any change in details or plans to travel abroad.

Source: Harrow Times