Following the usage of a WhatsApp group to distribute terrorism propaganda and coordinate financial support for the outlawed Islamic State, four men have been imprisoned for nearly 30 years. Three of the males engaging in terrorism-related actions between 2022 and 2023 were identified by UK Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands CTU.
At Liverpool Crown Court, Mohammed Hamad, one of them, acknowledged last week two offences related to the spread of propaganda about terrorism. In March of last year, he was taken into custody by police from a Liverpool house. Today, the 30-year-old received a four-year prison sentence. Since reporting limitations have been lifted as a result of the case’s resolution, it is now possible to disclose that three other persons were earlier found guilty of linked offences.
After a trial, 30-year-old Birmingham resident Roshman Azad Wali Saeed was found guilty on six counts of disseminating materials supporting terrorism and engaging in acts related to financing terrorism. In April of last year, Birmingham Crown Court sentenced him to 12 years in prison.
During the same trial, 33-year-old West Bromwich resident Tshko Ahmad Mohamad was found guilty of terrorist fundraising and given a seven-year sentence. After colleagues from Counter Terrorism Policing South East arrested Omar Hussain Ahmadi at Stansted Airport in April 2023, they were connected to the chat group.
His cell phone was confiscated, and £7,000 was discovered concealed in tins of baby milk powder. The Sheffield resident, 24, entered a guilty plea to involvement in a terrorism fundraising scheme at Birmingham Crown Court last December and was sentenced to five years and seven months in prison. During the course of the investigation, Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands conducted searches that resulted in the seizure of over 30 SIM cards, more than a dozen cell phones, and more than £4,000 in cash.
When messages were translated, it was discovered that many of them contained explicit endorsements of the outlawed Islamic State group, as well as explicit pictures and videos.
“It’s evident that all of these men were involved in supporting Islamic State,”
stated Detective Superintendent Annie Miller of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands.
Propaganda was spread via the group chat, and plans were made to generate funds in the UK to fund IS’s operations.
“It is entirely unacceptable to promote terrorism, and we will not hesitate to investigate online behaviour or content which breaches terrorism or other criminal legislation.”
