Teenager with 'step-by-step terrorist guide' jailed after he was caught trying to join Isis in Syria

A student from Middlesex University has been jailed for three-and-a half years after he was caught trying to flee to Syria to join the Islamic State (Isis). Cubeyda Jama, 19, was found with a "step-by-step" guide to terrorism in his rucksack when he was arrested at London's Stansted Airport in February.

He travelled to the airport on 4 February after buying a one way ticket to Bucharest, Romania. From there he intended to make the journey to Syria to join IS. Jama managed to board the flight but was removed before take-off, after counter-terrorism police stormed the plane.

Police searched his rucksack and found a map of Turkey and Jama's laptop, which contained several jihadist documents. Amongst those was an e-book titled "hijrah to the Islamic State" which provided a list of items to take to Syria.

Jama also had a USB stick with detailed instructions on how to make the journey to IS (Daesh) territory in Syria. He also possessed 13 copies of the terror group's Dabiq magazine, which featured articles encouraging people to join IS and glorifying suicide missions.

Police said the teenager had been collecting the items since early January 2016, using his student loan to pay for the equipment, which included a HP laptop, a solar powered charger and a military jacket.

Following his arrest, counter-terrorism police searched the teenager's home in Thornton Heath, south London where he had been living with his father since 2010. They found extensive IS propaganda material on his phone and laptop, including IS beheading videos and Google searches on "how to reach the Syrian border", "paths to Isis" and "how to get Isis".

The Finnish national, who is of Somalian descent, penned an oath of allegiance in Arabic to the IS leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

Appearing in court at the Old Bailey on 28 July, Jama pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct with the preparation of terrorist acts. Sentencing Jama, Judge Gerald Gordon said the teenager was at "obvious risk of radicalisation."

"You are described by the psychologist as naive, and I think that is right. Having looked at your background you were, in my view, an obvious risk of radicalisation, be it self radicalisation via the internet, radicalisation through others, or a combination of the two. And that is exactly what happened," the judge said.

"A number of electronic devices were found, many of the items of the type found in the possession of those intending and preparing to embark upon terrorism, here or abroad. Amongst the items on your electronic equipment were videos including those of an extreme nature, indeed, beheading videos."

Judge Gordon added: "It is clear from what you have yourself subsequently said, that you realised fully that once you had, or if you did, achieve your aim of joining Daesh, you would have had no option but to do whatever was required of you. It is clear to me that you were dangerous at the time. There are some indications that you may be learning the error of your ways, but it is too early to say that you are at present no longer dangerous."

Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "Jama had a step-by-step guide to fighting for Daesh and many items which could be used by aspiring terrorists, as listed in the guide.

"He had trawled through reams of terrorist material and there is no doubt in my mind what his intentions were if he had made it to Syria.

"By working so effectively with Essex Police, we ensured he did not make that journey," Haydon added. "Today's sentence should serve as a timely reminder to anyone thinking of travelling for the purposes of terrorism."

Jama pleaded guilty to preparation of terrorist acts on 24 June. He was jailed for three-and-a-half years.