Today, Mustafa Abdullah was convicted of 13 terrorism related offences at the Old Bailey, after terrorist training videos were found in his possession when he travelled back to the UK after six months in Syria. The offences were contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He was sentenced to four and a half years’ imprisonment.
Abdullah had travelled to Syria between November 2013 and May 2014 to an area where conflict was intense at the time. When his phone was searched upon his arrival into the UK, it was found to contain a large number of firearms related videos that would be considered useful to an individual committing or planning to commit an act of terrorism.
A subsequent search of his home address revealed other similar material, and in particular three audio files of lectures giving detailed instructions for terrorists preparing to engage in guerrilla warfare.
Folders were found on his phone with names such as ‘military folder’, ‘Valhalla training centre folder’ and a ‘vids folder’ – he had attempted to delete many of these folders prior to his arrival back to the UK. One of the videos found within a folder was a film called ‘Close range gunfighting (advanced)’, a training video showing how to use a firearm to kill people in close combat. A large number of the videos contained material which would be useful to anyone preparing to engage in acts of terrorism.
Abdullah had claimed not to have known these files existed on his phone, however, following examination of the phone it was proved that Abdullah had accessed at least some of them at some point during his time abroad and viewed them.
CPS Spokesperson said:
“The evidence found on Mustafa Abdullah’s phone strongly indicated that he was preparing or planning an act of terrorism. Many of the videos had links to Jihad and detailed how to use weapons with the intention being to kill.
“He had claimed to have been travelling to Syria for humanitarian reasons, however, pictures found on his phone showing Abdullah holding an automatic assault rifle suggested a more sinister purpose to his visit. There was also no evidence on his laptop, tablets and phones of having carried out any research into humanitarian work.
“The most chilling of the articles found was that of an Arabic lecture containing detailed instructions on how to research and carry out a terrorist attack on a city centre.”
Charges:
Count 2
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 3
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 4
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 6
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 7
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 8
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 9
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 10
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 11
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 12
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 13
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM contrary to section 58 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Count 14
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TOA PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM contrary to section 58 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Act 2000
Count 15
POSSESSION OF A DOCUMENT OR RECORD CONTAINING INFORMATION OF A KIND LIKELY TO BE USEFUL TO A PERSON COMMITTING OR PREPARING AN ACT OF TERRORISM contrary to section 58 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Act 2000.
