A British jihadist who fled to Syria and joined a militant
group with links to so-called Islamic State has been given a 12-year custodial
sentence.
Imran Khawaja, from west London, spent six months in Syria,
during which he was pictured posing with severed heads.
Khawaja, 27, was arrested in Dover last June after faking
his death and trying to return to the UK undetected.
He admitted preparing for acts of terrorism, attending a camp,
receiving training and possessing firearms.
Delivering his decision, judge Mr Justice Baker said Khawaja
posed "a significant risk of serious harm" to the public. He will
serve a minimum of eight years and also serve 5 years on licence.
Khawaja was a "willing and enthusiastic"
participant in recruitment films, the judge said
His cousin, Tahir Bhatti, from Watford in Hertfordshire was
jailed for 21 months. He will serve half of his sentence.
Bhatti had driven to Serbia to collect Khawaja and bring him
back to the UK.
Asim Ali, from Ealing in west London - who provided his
friend Khawaja with funds - was also given 21 months in prison.
At Woolwich Crown Court, Khawaja's counsel Henry Blaxland QC
told the court his client had a very low IQ and had been "indoctrinated"
in the months before he fled for Syria, in January 2014.
But Mr Justice Baker described Khawaja, who joined the Rayat
al-Tawheed (RAT) insurgent group, as a "willing and enthusiastic"
participant in recruitment films.
No comments:
Post a Comment