Mashudur Choudhury First British Muslim Found Guilty of Travelling to Syria for Jihadist Training

A father of two has become the first British Muslim to be convicted of terrorism offences linked with the conflict in Syria.

Mashudur Choudhury was found guilty of hatching a plan to train as a terrorist in the war-torn country.

The 31-year-old, who denied a charge of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, managed to travel to Syria via Turkey in October alongside four other extremists.

He then attended a jihadist training camp that taught him how to use firearms before starting his journey home.

But a radicalised Choudhury, who is from Portsmouth, was arrested and then charged under section five of the Terrorism Act 2006 upon his return to the UK at Gatwick Airport.

The other men, also from Portsmouth, are believed to be fighting with rebel groups against the Assad regime.

Police were apparently tipped off by the city's Muslim community about the group's plan, which was allegedly inspired by associate Iftekhar Jaman, who had fought with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Alison Morgan, prosecuting, told the jury at Kingston Crown Court, south-west London, that Choudhury attended the camp to pursue "a political, religious or ideological cause".

During the trial jurors were shown a text message from his wife, whom, the court heard, Choudhury had asked to emigrate to Syria, that said: ''Go die in battlefield. Go die, I really mean it just go. I'll be relieved. At last. At last.''

In one exchange with his wife, Choudhury said: "What good is a husband, father, brother that sits in comfort, sleeps in comfort, eats in comfort but neglects the cause of women being raped, children being attacked, mothers being decapitated, and daughters being murdered?"

Choudhury claimed he had only pretended to support terrorism and had travelled to escape problems he was having at home.