Manchester teacher Jamshed Javeed was 'prepared to kill' in Syria

Mar 4, 2015 at 8:02 pm
Cross-posted from BBC News

https://jihadintel.meforum.org/144/manchester-teacher-jamshed-javeed-was-prepared-to

A chemistry teacher who admitted Syria-related terror offences was determined to fight with Islamic State and was prepared to kill, a court was told.

Jamshed Javeed, from Manchester, was "determined to fight Jihad" in 2013 despite pleas from his family not to go, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

The 30-year-old claims he wanted to go to support ordinary Syrians.

Javeed will be sentenced for two counts of engaging in conduct in preparation of terror acts on Thursday.

He was among a group of young Muslim men from the Manchester area who became radicalised, the court heard.

Prosecutor Simon Denison QC said he helped his younger brother, Mohammed, and two other men join the group, then widely known as Isis, by providing money for flights as well as clothing and equipment.

'Truth was unknown'

Javeed, of Levenshulme, prepared to follow them to the country with another member of the group in November 2013.

The court heard he bought a solar charger at Maplins, travel provisions and flight tickets from Manchester to Istanbul.

Mr Denison said: "The evidence from the material in his possession indicates that he was intent on fighting with the terrorist group Isis.

"It follows that the action he was intent on committing inevitably included acts of murder."

His travel plans were thwarted when his family removed his rucksack and passport and he was unable to find it, the court heard.

Javeed was adamant about going, and his wife Shameila announcing she was pregnant could not deter him, the court heard.

In a text exchange, she said: "Jamshed you refuse to take on board anyone's opinion unless I've got a gun and I'm in Syria."

Javeed, who taught 11 to 16-year-olds at Sharples High School in Bolton, was arrested in December.

Police found a rucksack containing items including £1,490 in cash, thermal gloves and combat-style trousers during a search at his home.

He claims he is not an extremist and has never supported "the aims of Isis as now revealed and understood".

Defending, Charles Bott QC said: "The defendant's position is that he did something that he considered right at the time in very particular circumstances that he would not contemplate doing now.

"He is one of many people who did not know the truth about Isis in the later months of 2013."

Mr Bott read from a statement by Javeed which said: "If they had voted for military intervention perhaps I wouldn't be in prison."

He said he was "appalled at the indiscriminate brutality" of IS, adding that he did not support its aims or "grotesque and barbaric" beheadings.

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